We will have some reflective music as we gather together to help us become more aware of the presence of God amongst us.
Leader: Lord as we gather to pray, we are like threads waiting to be woven:
All: Weave us into fabric.
Leader: Lord we want to be woven in your image:
All: Weave us into your fabric.
Leader: Lord we want to be woven close to you & to each other:
All: Weave us into one fabric belonging to you. We pray in your name,
Father, Son & Spirit.
Please listen to or join in the hymn ‘Lighten our darkness’ (Sacred Pathway)
Lighten our darkness, Lord we pray,
Lighten our darkness at the end of the day,
Defend us from danger & perils of the night
For the love of Jesus, the Lord who is light.
Lighten our burden, Lord we ask,
Lighten our burden, bring joy to our task,
Give peace in our labour, to work bring your might,
For the love of Jesus, the Lord who is light.
Lighten our darkness, Lord we pray,
Lighten our darkness at the end of the day,
Defend us from danger & perils of the night
For the love of Jesus, the Lord who is light.
The first part of the psalm & its antiphon will be read as indicated.
All: You cannot serve both God & wealth.
Side 1: Hear this, all you peoples; listen inhabitants of the world, all children
of the earth, both rich & poor together. My mouth shall speak
wisdom, the thoughts of my heart be full of understanding. I shall
reveal the secret of a riddle, unfolding a mystery to the sound of the
lyre.
Side 2: Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the cruel &
the greedy triumph, those who put their trust in great wealth, &
boast of the abundance of their riches?
Side 1: No-one may ransom a sister or brother, no-one gives God a price for
them, so that they may live for ever & never see the grave: to ransom
their lives is so costly, we must abandon the idea for ever.
Side 2: For we see the prosperous die, & perish with the foolish & ignorant,
leaving their wealth to others. The tomb is their home for ever, their dwelling through all generations,
despite their estates named after them. The wealthy in all their pomp – they are just like the beasts – they perish.
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: You cannot serve both God & wealth.
Please sing this 2nd part of the psalm as indicated.
Cantors: Store up treasure for yourself in heaven,
Says the Lord.
Side 1: This is the lot of the arrogant,
Who are pleased with their words & trust in themselves.
Side 2: They are destined to die like sheep:
Death is their shepherd, they cannot avoid their end.
Side 1: Their good looks will fade in the tomb,
And their grandeur will follow them.
All: But God will ransom my life,
God will snatch me from the power of the grave.
Cantor: I shall not be afraid when neighbours grow rich,
When the wealth of their household increases.
All: For they will take nothing away when they die;
Nor will their wealth go down with them.
Cantor: Though they thought highly of themselves while they lived,
And were praised for their worldly success,
All: They will go to the company of their ancestors,
Who will never again see the sun.
Cantor: The wealthy in all their pomp –
They are just like the beasts – they perish.
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: Store up treasure for yourself in heaven,
Says the Lord.
Reading: Isaiah 42. 1-4.
Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice,or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Silent reflection.
Cantors: Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty
And holy is your name.
Side 1: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
Side 2: For he has looked with favour on his lowly handmaid,
And from this day all generations will call me blessed.
Side 1: The Almighty has done great things for me
Holy is his name.
Side 2: He has mercy on those who fear him
In every generation.
Side 1: He has shown the strength of his arm;
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
Side 2: He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
And has lifted up the lowly
Side 1: He has filled the hungry with good things,
And has sent the rich away empty.
Side 2: He has come to the help of his servant Israel
For he has remembered his promise of mercy
Side 1: The promise he made to our fathers,
To Abraham, Sarah, and their children 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: Do great things for us, O Lord, for you are mighty
And holy is your name.
Intercessions: ad lib followed by ………………….
Reader: We pray for people who have died today – for those who will die tonight –
and we remember in prayer those whose anniversaries of death occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Leader begins the Our Father….
Leader: Father, we thank you for showing us your mercy today; may that mercy extend to all those for whom we pray, and may it bring your peace to all people. 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: We ask God’s blessing on each other:
All: In the next months, may you follow in the Lord’s
way. May you listen to the truth God speaks. May
you live the life God would have you live, & may you
have the strength you will need for whatever will
occur in your life. May the blessing of God the
Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit be
with you tonight & always. Amen.
We end our time of prayer together by sharing a sign of peace.