We will have some reflective music as we gather together to help us become aware of the presence of God amongst us.
(Heavenly Peace Tr 4)
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity
Leader: Wanderers, gatherers, homemakers, travellers:
All: We come to God.
Leader: Questioners, adventurers, believers, doubters:
All: We come to God.
Leader: Workers, menders, seekers, dreamers – whoever we are:
All: We come to God.
Let us sing this hymn together.
Dear Lord & Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways,
Reclothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence praise, in deeper reverence praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up & follow thee, rise up & follow thee.
Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness & thy balm,
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind & fire,
O still small voice of calm, O still small voice of calm.
Please sing the psalm & antiphon as indicated.
Cantors: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
So the Son of Man must be lifted up.
Side 1: The Lord’s revelation to my Master: sit on my right.
Your foes I will put beneath your feet .
Side 2: The Lord will wield from Sion your sceptre of power:
Rule in the midst of your foes.
Side 1: A prince from the day of your birth on the holy mountains:
From the womb before the dawn I begot you.
Side 2: The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change,
You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.
Side 1: The Master standing at your right hand
Will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.
Side 2: He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
And therefore he shall lift up his head.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end, Amen .
All: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
So the Son of Man must be lifted up.
Please say the psalm & antiphon as indicated.
All: The Lord of Hosts protects & rescues; he spares & he
saves.
Side 1: From the days before I knew there were days, in the
darkness of continuing night, I was caught in an alien
country, my enemies the source of my life. Bewildered by
the smiles of welcome & peace, nourished it seemed for
my good, I lay close to pretence & deceit, seen only in
the light of another’s esteem.
Side 2: I breathed the air of whispered betrayal, entangled
as I was in the voice of the lie. Infected by words
that were bitter & sharp, I found it hard to resist
the desire for revenge. Like a fledgling my whole
being trembled, shaken by my first faltering steps.
At last I could leave the place of my peril, glimpsing
Your love which is true & assured.
Side 1: So you gave me the beginnings of freedom: the arrows
will turn back on those who pursue me, the burning of the
broom tree will shrivel the lie, my betrayer’s heart
scared to life by the truth.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
All: The Lord of Hosts protects & rescues;
He spares & he saves.
Please say the Lenten canticle & its antiphon as indicated.
All: He was wounded for our faults, he was bruised for our
sins. Through his wounds we are healed.
Reader: Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, no guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten; but he trusted to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall
be, world without end, amen.
All: He was wounded for our faults, he was bruised for our sins. Through his wounds we are healed.
Reading (John 12.) followed by personal reflection.
Jesus said to them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to receive his glory. It is a fact that a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die before it can grow and produce much more wheat. If it never dies, it will never be more than a single seed. Whoever loves the life they have now will lose it. But whoever is willing to give up their life in this world will keep it. They will have eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me. My servants must be with me everywhere I am. My Father will give honour to anyone who serves me.
“Now I am very troubled. What should I say? Should I say, ‘Father save me from this time of suffering’? No, I came to this time so that I could suffer. Father, do what will bring you glory!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have already brought glory to myself. I will do it again.” The people standing there heard the voice. They said it was thunder. But others said, “An angel spoke to him!” Jesus said, “That voice was for you and not for me. Now is the time for the world to be judged. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. I will be lifted up from the earth. When that happens, I will draw all people to myself.” Jesus said this to show how he would die.
Please join in the Magnificat which will be sung to the tune of‘Amazing Grace’, after we have said the antiphon together.
All: When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself.
My soul proclaims the Lord my God, my spirit sings his praise;
He looks on me, he lifts me up, and gladness fills my days.
All nations now will share my joy, his gifts he has outpoured;
His little ones he has made great; I magnify the Lord.
His mercy is for evermore; his name I praise again;
His strong right arm puts down the proud and raises lowly ones.
He fills the hungry with good things, the rich he sends away.
The promise made to Abraham fulfilled by him each day.
Magnificat, Magnificat, Magnificat, praise God;
Magnificat, Magnificat, Magnificat, praise God.
Intercessions:
Reader: Lord God, you created a new covenant of peace through your son, Jesus, yet we live in fear of each other – show us how to help re-seed your world with trust…silence….. in hope, we pray,
All: Lord, be present to us.
Reader: You delight in those who receive your gifts with gratitude. Bless all who endeavour to develop their gifts…silence….. in hope, we pray,
All: Lord, be present to us.
Reader: You gave us the power to bind & loosen – free us, and our leaders from the need to control, & give us the grace to set others free. …silence….. in hope, we pray,
All: Lord, be present to us.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & those who will die tonight. We also pray for those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father.
Leader: Lord our God, your son so loved the world that he gave himself up to death for our sake. Strengthen us by your grace, & give us a heart willing to live by that same love. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
All: Amen.
Tonight we will have a sung blessing. (Heavenly Peace – Tr 16.)
The peace of Christ be with you,
The love of Christ enfold you,
The joy of Christ inspire you;
The strength of Christ uphold you,
And the beauty of Christ be within you,
All the days of your life.
Amen.