It has become a tradition on the nearest Sunday to All Saints’ & All Souls’ Days to remember all the saints who have worked and witnessed to bring the children of God to this point now. Further, to hold in our prayers those for whom it has been our privilege for this church to have conducted in the last twelve months their funeral service. Each of those families were invited to join with us. It was good some could attend. But even if they couldn’t then they were held in our prayers and thoughts. Further, the non-attenders were sent cards to record the day.
The following was the service for the day and the names of those remembered. The readers were Ann Shadbolt and Wendy Slattery. The communion stewards were Rene Stevenson, Ann Shadbolt and Jean Roby. The organist was John Gibson. The service was led by Tom Birch.
WORDS ON WHICH TO MEDITATE AS WE PREPARE FOR WORSHIP
Listen to me God,
as I try to pray honestly.
I am calling you:
please hear me.
Show me your love again:
I have tried to follow your ways faithfully.
Guard me like your most precious thing.
Hide me in the most secure place you know,
because I feel exposed,
surrounded and hounded by those who do not understand or care for me.
It is knowing that you have not abandoned me,
that you keep me safely close by,
that stops me from losing everything.
AMEN
GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
CALL TO WORSHIP
The Lord God has been
a refuge for the needy,
a shelter from the storm,
a shade from the heat.
We come to worship him.
HYMN 47: O worship the King, all glorious above (Tune: Hanover. Music: From A Supplement to the New Version probably by William Croft. Words: Robert Grant based on Psalm 104.)
PRAYERS OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION
HYMN 330: Our blest Redeemer, ere he breathed his tender, last farewell (Tune: St Cuthbert. Music: JB Dykes. Words: Harriet Auber.)
MINISTRY OF THE WORD
OLD TESTAMENT: Daniel, Chapter 7, Verses 1 to 3 then 15 to 18
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ Old Testament page 865: Daniel’s experience may be considered utterly remote from our experience in the here and now. But here is encouragement to steadfastness recalls for the present generation those saints who remained constant in their faith so that we might receive it from them. The promise is that God’s “holy ones,” or God’s saints, will triumph, no matter how bleak the present may be.
EPISTLE: Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 11 to 23
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ New Testament page 241: This is a prayer of Paul. He describes a future so glorious that it defies description. It is a future inherited by the saints who belong together. There is a powerful connection between Christians of all generation, forged by the gospel of Jesus Christ and realized only in the knowledge of wisdom and revelation and hope.
HYMN 561: Christ, from whom all blessings flow (Tune: Vienna. Music: JH Knecht. Words: Cento from Charles Wesley.)
GOSPEL: Luke, Chapter 6, Verses 20 to 31
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ New Testament page 82: As we recall the saints of ages past, we do so with gratitude for their endurance and with renewed commitment to follow their examples. For many of us these verses read like some indecipherable foreign language. In the context of this special day they provide an example of the kind of life that is expected of the faithful. It wakes us to the sharp demands of life under God’s reign – precarious, risk-filled but one called “blessed.”
A WORD IN SEASON
HYMN 664: Give me the wings of faith to rise within the veil, and see the saints above (Tune: Jackson Byzantium (R&S 722). Music: Thomas Jackson. Words: Isaac Watts.)
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S GRACE
THE INVITATION TO THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION AND THE GRACIOUS WORDS
The risen Christ came and stood among the disciples and said:
‘Peace be with you!’
Then they were glad when they saw the Lord.
Alleluia!
The peace of the risen Christ be always with us.
HYMN 666: Sing we the song of those who stand around the eternal throne (Tune: Nativity. Music: H Lahee. Words: James Montgomery.)
THE TAKING OF THE BREAD AND WINE
- THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD AND WINE
TIME OF QUIET REFLECTION
In the Jewish tradition, psalms of lament enabled the people to rail against God and in some way to hold on to their faith. People who have suffered greatly or unexpectedly must feel free to express their anger against God but also express their faith in their God.
| God of unending mercy,
we pray with those who weep.
Christ, have mercy on those who weep; Christ, have mercy on us when we turn away from the tears of others. Give us the strength of compassion, that we may never shield our eyes and hearts from pain, but seek to heal and bless.
Bless us with courage and arm us with hope, that we may lessen the suffering.
Hear this our common prayer and those of our hearts which we offer now.
|
Gathered here we know God in Christ is already here.
With us – Christ!
In us – Christ!
Behind us – Christ!
Before us – Christ!
Beside us – Christ!
Beneath us – Christ!
Above us – Christ!
Winning and restoring – Christ!
Quiet and confirming – Christ!
In hearts – Christ!
In mouths – Christ!
From a version of St Patrick’s Breastplate (adapted) by Janet Lees. |
Following a time of quiet meditation there will be an act of remembering all who feel greatly the loss of loved ones. We hold in our prayers and thoughts all that have died and in particular the 29 individuals for whom it has been a privilege for this church to conduct in the last twelve months their funeral services. A remembrance card will be placed by the communion table: one for each.
* Carol Ann ATHERTON *
* Charles Henry BROWN *
* Peter CHESTERMAN * Nancy COTTAM * Stanley COLLINGS * John Philip CROPPER *
* Henry Kenneth DREWERY *
* James Lee GREENWAY *
* Margaret HORNBY * Jean HUGHES *
* Robert Karl LAIRD * Frances Patricia LONG *
* Keith MacDONALD * Harry MATLEY * Dora MORGAN * Margaret MOSS *
* John NORRIS *
* Leslie REDDINGTON * Sheila REDMAN *
* Norman SIMEY * Norman SMEDLEY * Edith SUMNER *
* Ann TAYLOR * Ethel TAYLOR *
* Elizabeth WALSH * Muriel WHITTAKER * Evelyn Mary WOOD * Stephen Leslie WOODMAN * June Barbara WRIGHT *
- ACT OF REMEMBRANCE
With the stirring of the wind and the chill of winter,
under the blue sky and in the warmth of summer,
we remember them.
With joys we long to share and in sorrow we bear alone;
in work we have to do with life we have to give,
we remember them.
In treasured memories of the past
and during days to come
we remember them.
In all that they achieved and for all that might have been;
at the dawn of day and in the setting sun
we remember them.
- PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING, PETITION, INTERCESSION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
- HYMN 755: We praise, we worship thee, O God (Tune: Mainzer. Music: Joseph Mainzer. Words: ‘Te Deum laudamus’ translated Anonymously in Philip Gell’s Collection.)
A PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND THE BLESSING
May the comfort of God surround you;
the strength of God invigorate you;
the grace of God enliven you,
and give you hope in all you say and do.