Leader: In the name of the Father, & of the Son, & of the Holy Spirit,
All: Amen.
Leader: There is an ancient story about St Augustine. It tells how one day, walking along a beach, he saw a small boy who, having dug a hole in the sand, was running to & from the sea pouring water into it. ‘I’m going to put the whole ocean into this hole’, the child explained. When told that that was impossible, he replied to St Augustine, ‘It is easier to put the whole ocean into this hole than for you to understand the mystery of the Trinity.
(incense is lit)
Please join in the hymn – a Song of Praise:
Cantors: Glory to God, glory to God, glory to the Father. (all repeat)
Cantors: To God be glory for ever. (all repeat)
Cantors: Alleluia, Amen! (all repeat twice)
Cantors: Glory to God, glory to God, glory to Christ Jesus. (all repeat)
Cantors: To God be glory for ever. (all repeat)
Cantors: Alleluia, Amen! (all repeat twice)
Cantors: Glory to God, glory to God, glory to the Spirit. (all repeat)
Cantors: To God be glory for ever. (all repeat)
Cantors: Alleluia, Amen! (all repeat twice)
Please say the psalm from side to side.
All: O true, highest & everlasting Trinity, Father, Son & Holy Spirit!
The oracles of old exalted the king to stand at the right hand of God. As
priest & prince he was to rule not by descent but by God’s call. The sceptre
of power was placed in his hand, to shatter the heads of his enemies.
Through him God routed the armies, striding across corpses strewn in the way.
A strange world to us, faded from view, kings riding out on horseback to conquer. The wars of our time have tarnished the glory, the rhetoric of God, but masking our pride. Arrogance & pride are the Gods that we follow, & even the wars we name holy or just degrade those who wage them, reminding us all how cruel & cold the world can become.
Yet, as we dig deep in these words from the past, we see a vision of those who would lead. They lay on themselves the robe of the priestly, willingly weighed down by the burden of service, sacrificing themselves for the good of their land, growing in discernment & wisdom. They bring greater good from the conflicts around them, & they heal the wounds of the people.
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: O true, highest & everlasting Trinity, Father, Son & Holy Spirit!
Please sing the psalm & canticle from side to side as indicated.
Cantors: Give us freedom, salvation & life,
O blessed Trinity.
Side 1: Israel marches out of Egypt,
Jacob leaves an alien people;
Side 2: Judah becomes a holy place,
Israel, God’s domain.
Side 1: The sea pulls back for them,
The Jordan flees in retreat;
Side 2: The mountains jumps like rams,
Hills like lambs in fear.
Side 1: Why shrink back, O, sea?
Jordan, why recoil?
Side 2: Why shudder, mountains, like rams?
Why quiver, hills, like lambs?
Side 1: Tremble! earth, before the Lord,
Before the God of Jacob,
Side 2: Who turns rock to water,
Flint into gushing streams.
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: Give us freedom, salvation & life,
O blessed Trinity.
Cantors: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
Who was & who is & who is to come.
Side 1: Alleluia, salvation and glory & honour & power belong to our God,
His judgments are true and just, alleluia!
Side 2: Alleluia, praise our God all you his servants,
You who fear him, small and great, alleluia!
Side 1: Alleluia, the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns,
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, alleluia!
Side 2: Alleluia, the marriage of the Lamb has come,
And his bride has made herself ready, alleluia!
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: Give us freedom, salvation & life,
O blessed Trinity.
Reading: Ephesians 4 3-6.
Try your best to let God’s spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people. We have only one God, one faith & one baptism. There is one God who is the God of all people. Not only is God above all others, but works by using all of us, & lives in all of us.
Pause for reflection Then we will have a time of intercession – this will be open & free & will conclude with the prayer for those who have died.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight. We also pray for those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Following this we move to the Magnificat saying the antiphon together at the beginning & end, & singing the canticle as indicated.
All: With our heart & lips we praise you, we worship you & we bless you, God the Father, Jesus the Son, Holy Spirit within us – all glory is yours for ever, alleluia!
Side 1: My soul glorifies the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
Side 2: He looks on his servant, in her lowliness:
Henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
Side 1: The almighty works marvels for me:
Holy is his name.
Side 2: His mercy is from age to age
On those who fear him.
Side 1: He puts forth his arm in strength
And scatters the proud-hearted.
Side 2: He casts the mighty from their thrones,
And raises the lowly.
Side 1: He fills the starving with good things,
Sends the rich away empty.
Side 2: He protects Israel, his servant,
Remembering his mercy-
Side 1: The mercy promised to our fathers,
To Abraham & his sons 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.
All: (spoken) With our heart & lips we praise you, we worship you & we bless you, God the Father,
Jesus the Son, Holy Spirit within us – all glory is yours for ever, alleluia!
Leader introduces the Our Father……………………
Leader: Almighty God, you revealed the great mystery of your Godhead to us when you sent into the world the Word who is Truth & the Spirit who makes us holy. Help us to believe in you & worship you – eternal in glory, one God infinite in majesty. Through Christ our Lord. All: Amen.
All: May the love of the three give birth to new community.
May the yielding of the three give birth to a new humanity.
May the life of the three give birth to a new creativity. May the togetherness of the three give birth to a new unity
& may we be blessed by the three in one – Father, Son & Spirit. Amen.