The parish church of central Finchley
26 Hendon Lane, Finchley, London N3 1TR
Join us in church on Sundays at 8am & 10am, or online at 7pm
The parish church of central Finchley
26 Hendon Lane, Finchley, London N3 1TR
Join us in church on Sundays at 8am & 10am, or online at 7pm
Hymn – 153 Give me joy
We welcome each other
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.
We say sorry to God
We come to God from whom no secrets are hidden, to ask for his forgiveness and peace.
We have not always worshipped God, our creator. Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy.
We have not always followed Christ, our Saviour. Christ, have mercy. All Christ, have mercy.
We have not always trusted in the Spirit, our guide. Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy.
Almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to eternal life. Amen.
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.
Let us pray
Heavenly Lord, you long for the world’s salvation: stir us from apathy, restrain us from excess and revive in us new hope that all creation will one day be healed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Reading from the prophet Zephaniah (1.7,12-end)
This is the word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Psalm 90.1-8 (see noticesheet)
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (25.14-30)
All Glory to you, O Lord.
At the end
This is the Gospel of the Lord. All Praise to you, O Christ.
All sit for The Talk
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.
At the end
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
WE STAND TO SHARE GOD’S PEACE WITH EACH OTHER
We are all one in Christ Jesus. We belong to him through faith, heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace. The peace of the Lord be always with you
All and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Offertory Hymn – I lift my eyes – words on Noticesheet.
The altar is prepared and the gifts are offered to God.
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 sun and moon and star-lit sky, everything that gives us light, light for our eyes, our hearts, our minds. 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.
All Kneel – a short period of silence is kept
Jesus taught us to call God Our Father and so we have confidence to say
All 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.
Every time we eat this bread and drink this cup,
All We proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
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.
Music During Communion – St Mary’s Youth Choir Rutter: Look at the world
Gracious Lord, in this holy sacrament you give substance to our hope: bring us at the last to that fullness of life for which we long; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. 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
Hymn – 148 From heaven you came
The Lord be with you All And also with you.
Christ our King make you faithful and strong to do his will, that you may reign with him in glory; 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.
Common Worship: some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops’ Council 2000
Second Sunday before Advent
15th November 2026
8am Black Book p 229 10am Green Service Book
Mass Setting Poston
Processional Hymn : 153 Give me joy
A reading from the prophet Zephaniah (1.7,12-end)
Be silent before the Lord God!
For the day of the Lord is at hand;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice,
he has consecrated his guests.
At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
and I will punish the people
who rest complacently on their dregs,
those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
nor will he do harm.’
Their wealth shall be plundered,
and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.
The great day of the Lord is near,
near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter,
the warrior cries aloud there.
That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.
I will bring such distress upon people
that they shall walk like the blind;
because they have sinned against the Lord,
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath;
in the fire of his passion
the whole earth shall be consumed;
for a full, a terrible end
he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Psalm 90.1-8
Let the favour of the Lord, the Lord our God, be upon us.
Lord, you have been our dwelling-place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Let the favour of the Lord, the Lord our God, be upon us.
You turn us back to dust,
and say, ‘Turn back, you mortals.’
For a thousand years in your sight
are like yesterday when it is past,
or like a watch in the night.
Let the favour of the Lord, the Lord our God, be upon us.
You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning;
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
Let the favour of the Lord, the Lord our God, be upon us.
For we are consumed by your anger;
by your wrath we are overwhelmed.
You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your countenance.
Let the favour of the Lord, the Lord our God, be upon us.
Gospel Reading (Matthew 25.14-30)
‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Offertory Hymn I lift my eyes
I lift my eyes
to the quiet hills
in the press of a busy day;
as green hills stand
in a dusty land
so God is my strength and stay.
I lift my eyes
to the quiet hills
to a calm that is mine to share;
secure and still
in the Father’s will
and kept by the Father’s care.
I lift my eyes
to the quiet hills
with a prayer as I turn to sleep;
by day, by night,
through the dark and light
my Shepherd will guard his sheep.
I lift my eyes
to the quiet hills
and my heart to the Father’s throne;
in all my ways
to the end of days
the Lord will preserve his own.
Anthem Rutter: Look at the world
Post Communion Hymn 148 From heaven you came
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