The Eucharist

Thursday in Kingdomtide Thursday 12 November 2026 12.45pm

Welcome to Southwark Cathedral.

When it comes to the time of Communion please form a single line down the centre of the nave. Communion is in one kind only and will be given in silence. You may come for a blessing, which will also be given in silence. After receiving the host please return to your seat via the side aisles.

You are most welcome and thank you for joining us.

The words in bold are said by all.

The Greeting

The President says

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit All: Amen.

The Lord be with you All: and also with you.

Prayers of Penitence

The President invites the congregation to call to mind their sins and their need of God's forgiveness with these or other words

Let us confess our sins to Almighty God in penitence and in faith

All: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.

We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

Kyrie Eleison

May be said.

Lord have mercy All: Lord have mercy

Christ have mercy All: Christ have mercy

Lord have mercy All: Lord have mercy

The Absolution

The President declares God's forgiveness.

The Gloria

Said on major feast days.

All: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect

The President collects together the intentions of the people with a special prayer for the day or the week.

The Liturgy of the Word

The First Reading: Philemon 7-20

I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ.

At the end, the reader says

This is the word of the Lord. All: Thanks be to God.

The Gospel: Luke 17.20-25

The Lord be with you All: and also with you.

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

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.’

Then he said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or “Look here!” Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.

At the end, the reader says

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

Prayers of Intercession

Each section of the prayers ends with

Lord, in your mercy All: hear our prayer.

Lord, hear us. All: Lord, graciously hear us.

The President concludes the prayers with these or other words

Merciful Father, All: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament

The Peace

The President introduces the peace and then says

The peace of the Lord be always with you All: and also with you.

The Preparation of the Table

As bread and wine are placed on the altar, the President may use prayers which conclude with the following response

All: Blessed be God for ever.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord be with you All: and also with you. Lift up your hearts. All: We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All: It is right to give thanks and praise.

The President prays the preface, after which we all say

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The Eucharistic Prayer continues. One of the following Acclamations may be used

Great is the mystery of faith: All: Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus: All: Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life: Lord Jesus, come in glory.

At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, the congregation says

All: Amen.

All: Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray.

All: 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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. All: Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.

Agnus Dei

May be said.

All: Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.

Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, grant us peace.

All: Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us peace.

The Invitation to Communion

The President invites the congregation to make their communion using these words

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those who are called to his supper.

All: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

Prayer after Communion

A brief silence is kept. The President then prays a Post Communion prayer, after which the following prayer may be said

All: Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

The Dismissal

The President pronounces God's blessing and the congregation replies