We begin with our hymn, ‘Gathered in the Love of Christ’ –
(The Song & the Silence.) Please join in if you wish, remaining seated.
Gathered in the Love of Christ, we are one in the family of God.
We are the dwelling place that love has made.
We are formed to be goodness & light to the world.
God is light, in God there is no darkness.
Let us walk in the light of life.
If we live in God, then we must love each other,
Ever follow the way of truth & life.
See what love our God has shown to us to call us the children of God.
And as God has loved us, so we must love each other,
Ever follow the way of truth & life.
Incense is lit.
Psalm 109 will be read to us after we have said the Antiphon together.
All: The Lord’s revelation to my master: sit on my right.
Reader: The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.’ The sceptre of your power the Lord will stretch forth from Sion: ‘Rule in the midst of your enemies. Yours is the princely power in the day of your birth,
in holy splendour; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.’ The Lord has sworn and he will not repent; ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’
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’s revelation to my master: sit on my right.
Please sing the second psalm as indicated.
Cantors: The Lord is full of merciful love;
He makes us remember his wonders, alleluia!
Side 1: Our gratitude, O God, flows on,
Like the deep & silent river,
Side 2: I join in the stream of praise,
With your people gathered for worship.
Side 1: We take our place in the story,
Rekindled in the seasons’ round.
Side 2: We celebrate your mercies of old,
And your deeds among us today.
Side 1: The great words resound in our ears,
We delight in the great God who embodies them:
Side 2: Your beauty & splendour & justice,
Your glory & grace & compassion.
Side 1: Your truth & faithfulness for ever,
Your covenant of promise & life,
Side 2: Your creative & redeeming power,
Your holiness, wisdom & love.
Side 1: You renew your covenant each morning,
Loyal to your promise for ever.
Side 2: Awesome is your love for us,
Steady over aeons of time.
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 is full of merciful love;
He makes us remember his wonders, alleluia.
Reading: 1 Peter 1 3-5
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons & daughters, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time.
Leader: Blessed are you O Lord, in the vault of Heaven.
All: Blessed are you O Lord, in the vault of Heaven.
Leader: You are exalted & glorified above all else for ever.
All: Blessed are you O Lord, in the vault of Heaven.
Leader: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
All: Blessed are you O Lord, in the vault of Heaven.
Please stand to sing the Magnificat as indicated.
Cantor: Wk 7: ‘Do not judge and you will not be judged’, says the Lord,
‘As you judge others, so you also will be judged’.
Wk 15: ‘Master, what is the greatest commandment of the law?’
Jesus said to him, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart’, alleluia!
Wk 23: ‘Whoever does not take up his cross & follow me
cannot be my disciple’, says the Lord.
Wk 31: The Son of Man came
To seek out & to save that which was lost.
Side 1: My being proclaims your greatness,
And my spirit finds joy in you, God my Saviour;
Side 2: For you have looked upon me, your servant, in my lowliness:
All ages to come shall call me blessed.
Side 1: God, you who are mighty, have done great things for me:
Holy is your name.
Side 2: Your mercy is from age to age
Towards those who fear you.
Side 1: You have shown might with your arm,
And confused the proud in their inmost thoughts.
Side 2: You have deposed the mighty from their thrones,
And raised the lowly to high places.
Side 1: The hungry you have given every good thing,
While the rich you have sent away empty.
Side 2: You have upheld Israel, your servant,
Ever mindful of your mercy-
Side 1: Even as you promised our ancestors,
Promised Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants for ever.
All: Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
To the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,
Both now and for ever, Amen.
Repeat antiphon as above.
Intercessions:
Reader: God, ever creative, your love renews all things and is the
source of our hope. In confidence we bring our concerns.
All: Lord accept our thanks & our prayers.
Reader: We give thanks for your creation ….silence…… & we say,
All: You have blessed us with the resources of the earth and
the gift of human life.
Reader: We give thanks for our share in your continuing work of
creation ….silence…… & we say,
All: We praise you for your gifts to us of inventive skill & creative vision.
Reader: We pray for all the nations of the world….silence…… & we say
All: May those in authority work for peace & goodwill among all people.
Reader: We pray for all who are homeless today….silence…… & we say
All: We pray for families searching for a place to live, & those fearful of having their home taken from them.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & those who will die tonight. We also remember in prayer those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, remembering especially……..
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father….
Leader: God of power & mercy, by whose grace your people give you praise & worthy service: save us from faltering on our way to the joys you have promised. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
All: Amen
We will end by listening to a Celtic blessing:
The guarding of the God of life be on you;
The guarding of the loving Christ be on you;
The guarding of the Spirit be on you – to aid and uphold you
Each day and night of your life.
The guarding of God,
The guarding of Christ,
The guarding of the Holy Spirit be upon you.