Parish Eucharist Service Sheet

ST MARY-AT-FINCHLEY
HARVEST EUCHARIST
4th October 2026

The Processional Hymn – 179 God whose farm is all creation

God, whose farm is all creation, take the gratitude we give;
take the finest of our harvest,  crops we grow that men may live.

Take our ploughing, seeding, reaping, hopes and fears of sun and rain,
all our thinking, planning, waiting, ripened in this fruit and grain.

All our labour, all our watching, all our calendar of care,
in these crops of your creation, take, 0 God: they are our prayer.


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!

Today is our Harvest festival, and we are giving thanks for God’s gifts in creation, celebrating the beauty of our natural world and dedicating the gifts of our lives to God.

We say sorry and receive forgiveness

But first we say sorry for all the things that we have done wrong.
Gracious God, we have not loved you with all our hearts. We have not cared for others as for ourselves. In your great mercy forgive us and help us to lead a new life in your service.
Almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive you your sins and bring you to everlasting life.
Amen

Gloria in Excelsis (Poston Mass)

Gloria, gloria, gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory, glory, glory be to thee, And peace to his people here on earth.
Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, We glorify thee, glorificamus, glorify thee, glorificamus, We give thee thanks for thy great glory.
Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens, Only Son of the Father, Jesus Christ,
Thou who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us,
Thou who takest away the sins of the world, Receive our prayer,
Thou who art at the right hand of the Father Have mercy on us,
Solus sanctus, quoniam tu solus sanctus, Thou alone art the Lord, Thou alone most high, Jesus Christ, With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Harvest gifts are brought to the altar

A Special Prayer for Today called “The Collect”

Let us pray [remain standing]

Creator God, you made the goodness of the land, the riches of the sea and the rhythm of the seasons; as we thank you for the harvest, may we cherish and respect this planet and its peoples, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

We Listen to God’s Word

All Sit for the New Testament Reading: Second letter to the Corinthians 9.6-end

A reading from the second letter to the Corinthians The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,
‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
   his righteousness endures for ever.’
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

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

Psalm 65

Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion;
and to you shall vows be performed,
2     O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
    you forgive our transgressions.
4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
    to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
    your holy temple.

Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
    O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas.
6 By your strength you established the mountains;
    you are girded with might.
Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
7 You silence the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples.
8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
You visit the earth and water it,
   you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
   you provide the people with grain,
   for so you have prepared it.
Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
You water its furrows abundantly,
   settling its ridges,
softening it with showers,
   and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with your bounty;
   your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
   the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
   the valleys deck themselves with grain,
   they shout and sing together for joy.
Happy are those whom you choose to live in your courts.


All Stand for the Gospel Reading: Luke (12.16-30)

Hear the Gospel of the our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

Then Jesus told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’ He said to his disciples, ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

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


All Sit for the Talk

We Stand and Say What We Believe
Let us declare our faith in God:
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us with power from on high.
We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

All Kneel for the Prayers

We Stand to Share God’s Peace with Each Other

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you

Let us greet one another with the sign of peace.

The Offertory Hymn – 39 As the deer pants

1 As the deer pants for the water,
So my soul longs after You.
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship You.

You alone are my strength, my shield,
To You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship You.

2 I want You more than gold or silver,
Only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy-giver
And the apple of my eye. You alone are…

3 You’re my Friend and You are my Brother,
Even though You are a King.
I love You more than any other,
So much more than anything.
You alone are…


Receiving the Gifts

With this bread we bring.
We shall remember Jesus.
With this wine that we bring.
We shall remember Jesus.
Bread for his body, wine for his blood, gifts from God to his table we bring.
We shall remember Jesus.

We Give Thanks and Praise to God

Remain standing for THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
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.

Lord of all life, you created the universe, where all living things reflect your glory. You give us this great and beautiful earth to discover and to cherish. You give us the fish in the sea, the birds of the air, and every plant and tree; the life that sleeps in the winter earth, and awakens again in the spring. You made us all, each wonderfully different, to join with the angels and sing your praise:

Sanctus, sanctus Dominus, sanctus, Deus,
Holy, holy, holy one, holy Lord
Heav’n and earth are full of thy glory, glory be to thee, glory be,
O my Lord most high, glory be to thee,
Sanctus, sanctus Dominus, sanctus, Deus,
Holy, holy, holy one, holy, holy Lord

We thank you, loving Father, because, when we turned away, you sent Jesus, your Son. He gave his life for us on the cross and shows us the way to live. Send your Holy Spirit that these gifts of bread and wine may be for us Christ’s body and his blood. On the night before he died, when darkness had fallen, Jesus took bread. He gave thanks, broke it, and shared it with his disciples, saying:
‘This is my body, given for you. Do this to remember me.’

After they had eaten, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and shared it with his disciples, saying:
‘This is my blood, poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins.’

So Father, with this bread and this cup we celebrate his love, his death, his risen life. As you feed us with these gifts, send your Holy Spirit, and change us more and more to be like Jesus our Saviour.
Help us, Father, to love one another, as we look forward to that day when suffering is ended, and all creation is gathered in your loving arms. And now with Mary and all your saints we give you glory, through Jesus Christ, in the strength of the Spirit, today and for ever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray as Jesus 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.

Breaking the Bread

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.

Giving the Bread and Wine

God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people.
Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

~~~
All are welcome to come to the altar to receive communion or a blessing.
Anthem: : Chilcott, Be thou my vision
~~~

The Prayer after Communion

Lord of the harvest, with joy we have offered thanksgiving for your love in creation and have shared in the bread and wine of the kingdom: by your grace plant within us a reverence for all that you give us and make us generous and wise stewards of the good things we enjoy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Lord, we have broken your bread and received your life. By the power of your Spirit keep us always in your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Notices

The Post Communion Hymn – 534 We plough the fields and scatter

We plough the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand;
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine
and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above,
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
for all his love.

He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
the fills the earth with beauty,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us his children,
he gives our daily bread.
All good gifts…

We thank thee, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food:
accept the gifts we offer
for all thy love imparts;
and what thou most desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts.
All good gifts…

The Blessing and sending our into the world

The Lord be with you
And also with you

May God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the source of all goodness and growth, pour his blessing upon all things created, and upon you his children, that you may use them to his glory and the welfare of all peoples.
And the + blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be amongst you and remain with you always.
Amen

Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen

CCL license no 302817. Common Worship: some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000

JOIN us for lunch in the Hall at 12 noon