Please join in with our opening – the hymn:
This is Holy Ground, we’re standing on Holy Ground,
For the Lord is present & where he is is holy. (repeat)
These are holy hands, he’s given us holy hands,
He works through these hands & so these hands are holy. (repeat)
Repeat first verse.
Psalm 45 will be sung as indicated.
Cantors: The Lord has made holy the place where he dwells:
God is within: that cannot be shaken.
Side 1: God is our refuge & strength,
A very present help in time of trouble.
Side 2: Therefore we shall not be afraid,
Even though the earth be moved,
Side 1: Even though the mountains should crumble & fall into the sea,
Even though the waters should foam & rage.
All: You are for us, the God of the power that is service:
A safe stronghold, the God of all peoples.
Side 2: There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
Here is God’s dwelling place & it will stand firm.
Side 1: God’s rescue dawns like the morning light;
God’s voice echoes through every land.
Side 2: When powerful nations panic & totter
And the whole world comes crashing down,
All: You are for us, the God of the power that is service:
A safe stronghold, the God of all peoples.
Side 1: Come & see, stand in awe at the powerful things God will do on earth,
Putting an end to all war in the world,
Side 2: Breaking the bow, shattering the spear into splinters,
Throwing our weapons on the fire.
Side 1: ‘Be still & know that I am God,
Exalted among the nations, my name known at last upon the earth.’
All: You are for us, the God of power that is service:
A safe stronghold, the God of all peoples.
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 has made holy the place where he dwells:
God is within, that cannot be shaken.
We will listen to Marty Haugen’s setting of Psalm 121.
(Songs for Worship I& II CD Tr3).
I rejoiced when I heard them say,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
And now our feet are standing within
your gates, Jerusalem.X2
Jerusalem, God’s city built strong by the hand of the Lord.
To Jerusalem will the tribes go up, the people of our God.
For the peace of Jerusalem we pray; may peace come to your homes.
For the love of my relatives and friends, may peace come to you.
For the love of the house of the Lord, I will pray for you.
And may the throne of justice be restored in you.
Jerusalem, God’s city, built strong by the hand of the Lord.
To Jerusalem will the tribes go up, the people of our God. X2.
Refrain X2.
Incense is lit as a symbol of our prayer rising to God in preparation for listening to the reading.
Reading: From St Augustine’s Sermons.
Above all, let us give thanks to our God, from whom comes every good
endowment & every perfect gift, & let us praise God’s goodness with all
the eagerness of our heart. For in order to build this house God has
visited the mind of faithful people, has stirred their affection, has
granted help; God has inspired those not yet willing to be willing, God has
aided the efforts of the good will to carry it into action. In this way God
‘who works in his own people both to will & to work for God’s good
pleasure’ has begun all these activities & completed them.
Pause for silent reflection
Please listen to, or join in with, the Magnificat (Marty Haugen. Anthology III Tr15), after saying the antiphon together.
All: The Lord has made holy the place where he dwells: this is the
house of God in which his name will be invoked; as it is written:
‘My name shall be there, says the Lord’.
An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth, to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her,
‘Rejoice, O highly favoured, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, & his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of the most high.
And Mary said, ‘I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will’.
My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, & my spirit rejoices in you.
You have looked with love on your servant here,and blessed me all my life through.
Great & mighty are you, O Holy One, strong is your kindness evermore.
How you favour the meek & holy one, humbling the proud of heart.
You have cast the mighty down from your thrones, & uplifted the humble of heart,
You have filled the hungry with wondrous things,& left the wealthy no part.
Great & mighty are you, O faithful one, strong is your justice, strong is your love,
As you promised to Sarah & Abraham, kindness for evermore.
Repeat verse above – My soul proclaims your greatness, O God.
Intercessions:
Reader: We pray for all Church communities tonight & especially for those in this area. …………… silence …………… we pray,
All: Lord, bring us all closer to each other.
Reader: We pray tonight for our diocese: for all the people of our diocese including our Bishop …… silence …….. we pray,
All: Lord, bring us all closer to each other.
Reader: We pray for all involved in trying to see the way forward for the universal Church: may we all be open to change …………… silence ……………
we pray
All: Lord, send your Spirit to guide us.
Reader: Help us all to remember that our task as Christians is to look outwards and share the good news with others…………… silence ……………
we pray,
All: Lord, bring us all closer to each other.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight. We remember those people whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father.
Leader: Lord God, you have called your people to become your Church: grant that all who gather in your name may be true to you & love you, may follow you &, under your guidance, may live the life you would want us to live. 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
Leader: Be present, O merciful God, & protect us when we come to the silent hours of the night, so that we who are wearied by the changes & chances of this fleeting world may rest upon your eternal changelessness – and may Almighty God bless us – the Father Son and Holy Spirit.
All: Amen
We will finish our time of prayer with some reflective music –
(The Watermark Teresa Brown)