It is good to see Covid numbers reducing, This holds out the possibility of reducing restrictions in church which happen over time cautiously.
27 February
Revd Alexander Chisnall will be in charge on 27 February as Revd Ken Rue is heading to Armagh Cathedral for a Mothers’ Union service. He is to be commissioned as All Ireland Treasurer.
Compline 09 Feb 2022
Topic: Compline Wednesday Evening 09.02.22
Time: Feb 9, 2022 07:30 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83439082302?pwd=aWs1Tlg5eEpmMFdvamNGMFhiQ3FtQT09
Meeting ID: 834 3908 2302
Passcode: 2i5esA
Service leaflet is available here: Wednesday Evening – Compline 09.02.22
or below here:
COMPLINE
Wednesday 9th February 2022
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen
Brethren, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in the
faith. (1 Peter 5: 8, 9)
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
Thanks be to God.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord’s Name be praised.
A PSALM
Psalms 81; 82
1 Sing merrily to God our strength, ♦︎
shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2 Take up the song and sound the timbrel, ♦︎
the tuneful lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, ♦︎
as at the full moon, upon our solemn feast day.
4 For this is a statute for Israel, ♦︎
a law of the God of Jacob,
5 The charge he laid on the people of Joseph, ♦︎
when they came out of the land of Egypt.
6 I heard a voice I did not know, that said: ♦︎
‘I eased their shoulder from the burden;
Page 1 of 6
their hands were set free from bearing the load.
7 ‘You called upon me in trouble and I delivered you; ♦︎
I answered you from the secret place of thunder
and proved you at the waters of Meribah.
8 ‘Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you: ♦︎
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 ‘There shall be no strange god among you; ♦︎
you shall not worship a foreign god.
10 ‘I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up from the land of Egypt; ♦︎
open your mouth wide and I shall fill it.’
11 But my people would not hear my voice ♦︎
and Israel would not obey me.
12 So I sent them away in the stubbornness of their hearts, ♦︎
and let them walk after their own counsels.
13 O that my people would listen to me, ♦︎
that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 Then I should soon put down their enemies ♦︎
and turn my hand against their adversaries.
15 Those who hate the Lord would be humbled before him, ♦︎
and their punishment would last for ever.
16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat ♦︎
and with honey from the rock would I satisfy them.
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his stand in the council of heaven; ♦︎
in the midst of the gods he gives judgement:
2 ‘How long will you judge unjustly ♦︎
and show such favour to the wicked?
3 ‘You were to judge the weak and the orphan; ♦︎
defend the right of the humble and needy;
4 ‘Rescue the weak and the poor; ♦︎
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
5 ‘They have no knowledge or wisdom;
they walk on still in darkness: ♦︎
Page 2 of 6
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 ‘Therefore I say that though you are gods ♦︎
and all of you children of the Most High,
7 ‘Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals ♦︎
and fall like one of their princes.’
8 Arise, O God and judge the earth, ♦︎
for it is you that shall take all nations for your possession.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son ■
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, ■
and shall be for ever. Amen.
A READING
Luke 5: 27-32
27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax
booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and
followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company
of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees
and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink
with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are
well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to
call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
AN ADDRESS
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
Keep me as the apple of an eye.
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
A CANTICLE
Nunc Dimittis
1 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
Page 3 of 6
according to thy word.
2 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
3 To be a light to lighten the Gentiles
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son ■
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, ■
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake
we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
Let us pray
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers,
to be praised and glorified above all for ever;
Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise him and magnify him for ever.
Page 4 of 6
Blessed art thou, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven
to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
The Almighty and most merciful Lord guard us and give us his blessing.
Amen.
CONFESSION
We confess to God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, That
we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, Through our own grievous
fault. Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us. Almighty God, have
mercy upon us, Forgive us all our sins, Deliver us from all evil, Confirm and
strengthen us in all goodness, And bring us to life everlasting; Through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us
that thy people may rejoice in thee?
O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us
and grant us thy salvation.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, hear our prayer
and let our cry come unto thee.
Let us pray
THE COLLECTS
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend
us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our
Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we, who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may repose upon thy eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen
Page 5 of 6
Look down, O Lord, from thy heavenly throne, illuminate the darkness of this
night with thy celestial brightness, and from the children of light banish the deeds
of darkness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who at this evening hour didst rest in
the sepulchre, and didst thereby sanctify the grave to be a bed of hope to thy
people: Make us so to abound in sorrow for our sins, which were the cause of thy
passion, that when our bodies lie in the dust, our souls may live with thee: who
livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God world without
end.
Amen
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, our homes, and drive away all the snares of the
enemy; Let thy holy angels dwell therein to preserve us in peace; and may thy
blessing be upon us evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
We will lay us down in peace and take our rest.
For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.
The Lord be with you
and with thy spirit.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and
preserve us this night and for evermore.
Amen.
Evening Prayer Wednesday 2 February 2022
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81008235688
Meeting ID: 810 0823 5688
The service leaflet is available here: Evening Prayer Wednesday 2 February 2022
or below here:
Wednesday 2 February 2022: Evening Prayer
Feast of the Presentation of Christ
PREPARATION
SENTENCE OF SCRIPTURE
Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
Psalm 118: 19
INTRODUCTION
Forty days ago we celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we recall the day on which he was presented in the Temple, when he was offered to the Father and shown to his people. In their old age Simeon and Anna recognised him as their Lord. In this evening prayer, we look back to the day of his birth and forward to the coming days of his passion.
VERSICLES AND RESPONSES
We light a candle
The Lord is the strength of my life.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light which no darkness can quench.
PENITENCE
Jesus says, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ Let us then bring our secret sins into his light and confess them in penitence and faith.
Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you
and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought, in what we have said,
in what we have done
and in what we have not done,
through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light. Amen.
May the God of love and power forgive you and free you
from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE COLLECT
Almighty and everliving God,
clothed in majesty,
whose beloved Son was this day presented in the temple
in the substance of our mortal nature:
May we be presented to you with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD
PSALM
Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, ♦︎
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
2 And now our feet are standing ♦︎
within your gates, O Jerusalem;
3 Jerusalem, built as a city ♦︎
that is at unity in itself.
4 Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, ♦︎
as is decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For there are set the thrones of judgement, ♦︎
the thrones of the house of David.
6 O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ♦︎
‘May they prosp
er who love you.
7 ‘Peace be within your walls ♦︎
and tranquillity within your palaces.’
8 For my kindred and companions’ sake, ♦︎
I will pray that peace be with you.
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, ♦︎
I will seek to do you good.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
A READING
Romans 12: 1-5
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
MEDITATION
THE GOSPEL CANTICLE
NUNC DIMITTIS The Song of Simeon Luke 2: 29-32
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, ■
according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, ■
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles ■
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
PRAYER
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Show us your mercy, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
Let your ministers be clothed with righteousness
and let your servants shout for joy.
O Lord, save your people
and bless those whom you have chosen.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
O God, make clean our hearts within us
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
COLLECTS AT EVENING PRAYER
O God
from whom all holy desires all good judgements
and all just works proceed:
Give to your servants
that peace which the world cannot give,
that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments,
and that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies,
may pass our time in rest and quietness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Lighten our darkness, O Lord, we pray
and in your great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray to the Father through Christ who is our light and life.
Father, your Christ is acclaimed as the glory of Israel:
look in mercy on your Church, sharing his light.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Father, your Christ in his temple brings judgement on the world:
look in mercy on the nations, who long for his justice.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Father, your Christ, who was rich, for our sakes became poor:
look in mercy on the needy, suffering with him.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Father, your Christ is the one in whom faithful servants find their peace:
look in mercy on the departed, that they may see your salvation.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Father, your Christ is revealed as the one destined to be rejected:
look in mercy on us who now turn towards his passion.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna,
and showed them the infant King.
Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises,
and the patience to wait for their fulfilment;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
OPEN PRAYER
A period of open prayer follows for those who are known to be in need
THE CANDELMAS PRAYER
Lord God, you are the source of everlasting light.
Your son, our beloved Lord Jesus was presented in the temple 40 days after his birth.
He was recognised by Simeon and Anna,
and welcomed as the promised Messiah.
May we like them, behold the glory of the Lord Jesus.
Grant that we may stand before you with hearts cleansed by your forgiving love.
May we serve you all our days and make your name known
as we worship you as our Lord.
So may we come by your grace to eternal life. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Believing the promises of God,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven:
Hallowed be thy Name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory
for ever and ever. Amen.
THE ENDING
We recall Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.
Let us shine with the light of your love.
We turn from the crib to the cross.
Let us shine with the light of your love.
We go to carry his light.
Let us shine with the light of your love.
BLESSING
Christ the Son of God, born of Mary,
fill you with his grace
to trust his promises and obey his will:
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
DISMISSAL
Go in the light and peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
A Late Evening Office – 26th Jan 2022
Topic: A Late Evening Office – Wednesday 26th January
Time: Jan 26, 2022 07:30 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83160096311?pwd=ZkVHUHBKcFJibWl6d1FXQW53dTlkdz09
Meeting ID: 831 6009 6311
Passcode: kaU5Cy
The service leaflet is available here: LEO 26.01.22 ZOOM
or below here:
A Late Evening Office
Wednesday 26th January 2022
Blessed be our God for all time, now and for evermore.
Amen
Glory to you, our God, glory be to you,
Holy Spirit, Comforter,
treasure of all goodness and giver of life,
come and dwell in us,
cleanse us from all sin,
and in your love bring us to salvation.
Holy God, holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy on us.
PSALM 44
1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our forebears have told us, ♦︎
all that you did in their days, in time of old;
2 How with your hand you drove out nations and planted us in, ♦︎
and broke the power of peoples and set us free.
3 For not by their own sword did our ancestors take the land ♦︎
nor did their own arm save them,
4 But your right hand, your arm, and the light of your countenance, ♦︎
because you were gracious to them.
5 You are my King and my God, ♦︎
who commanded salvation for Jacob.
6 Through you we drove back our adversaries; ♦︎
through your name we trod down our foes.
7 For I did not trust in my bow; ♦︎
it was not my own sword that saved me;
8 It was you that saved us from our enemies ♦︎
and put our adversaries to shame.
9 We gloried in God all the day long, ♦︎
and were ever praising your name.
10 But now you have rejected us and brought us to shame, ♦︎
and go not out with our armies.
11 You have made us turn our backs on our enemies, ♦︎
Page 1 of 5
and our enemies have despoiled us.
12 You have made us like sheep to be slaughtered, ♦︎
and have scattered us among the nations.
13 You have sold your people for a pittance ♦︎
and made no profit on their sale.
14 You have made us the taunt of our neighbours, ♦︎
the scorn and derision of those that are round about us.
15 You have made us a byword among the nations; ♦︎
among the peoples they wag their heads.
16 My confusion is daily before me, ♦︎
and shame has covered my face,
17 At the taunts of the slanderer and reviler, ♦︎
at the sight of the enemy and avenger.
18 All this has come upon us,
though we have not forgotten you ♦︎
and have not played false to your covenant.
19 Our hearts have not turned back, ♦︎
nor our steps gone out of your way,
20 Yet you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, ♦︎
and covered us with the shadow of death.
21 If we have forgotten the name of our God, ♦︎
or stretched out our hands to any strange god,
22 Will not God search it out? ♦︎
For he knows the secrets of the heart.
23 But for your sake are we killed all the day long, ♦︎
and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
24 Rise up! Why sleep, O Lord? ♦︎
Awake, and do not reject us for ever.
25 Why do you hide your face ♦︎
and forget our grief and oppression?
26 Our soul is bowed down to the dust; ♦︎
our belly cleaves to the earth.
27 Rise up, O Lord, to help us ♦︎
and redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.
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 for ever. Amen.
Page 2 of 5
A READING
from the Luke 4:38-44
And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s motherin-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood
over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to
serve them.
Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various
diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed
them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he
rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the
Christ.
And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people
sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said
to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as
well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
MEDITATION
on the Reading
A CANTICLE
Nunc Dimittis
1 Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
2 My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people.
3 A light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory
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 for ever. Amen.
Let us pray to the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for all Christian people, that they may live in love and truth.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for all ministers of the Church, and for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for peace throughout the world, and for all governments.
Lord, have mercy.
Page 3 of 5
Let us pray for our neighbours and for all our friends.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for those who hate us as we pray for those who love us.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for refugees and prisoners, and for all who are exposed to the dangers of
travel.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for all sick people, for the sorrowful and the dying.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us pray for the abundance of the fruits of the earth, and that the poor and hungry
may receive a just share.
Lord, have mercy.
Let us remember our brothers and sisters who have entered into eternal rest.
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
Let us continue praying in a time of open prayer.
– A period of open prayer follows –
The leader brings either of these to an end saying:
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
COLLECT
The Conversion of Saint Paul (25th January)
Almighty God,
who caused the light of the gospel
to shine throughout the world
through the preaching of your servant Saint Paul:
Grant that we who celebrate his wonderful conversion
may follow him in bearing witness to your truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Page 4 of 5
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
COMMON COLLECT
Lord Almighty,
come and scatter the darkness of our hearts
by the light of your presence;
that we may know you
the Light of the world
and the one true God,
blessed this night and for evermore.
Amen.
BLESSING
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the Almighty and merciful God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless us
and keep us.
Amen
Service 19th Jan 2022
Time: Jan 19, 2022 07:30 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7150479191?pwd=WWZYZ2dpZmRxc3lSa2tnVzRicDdzdz09
Meeting ID: 715 047 9191
Passcode: 680512
One tap mobile
+35315369320,,7150479191#,,,,*680512# Ireland
+35316533895,,7150479191#,,,,*680512# Ireland
Dial by your location
+353 1 536 9320 Ireland
+353 1 653 3895 Ireland
+353 1 653 3897 Ireland
+353 1 653 3898 Ireland
+353 6 163 9031 Ireland
+353 1 240 8941 Ireland
Meeting ID: 715 047 9191
Passcode: 680512
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcEiFHW1go
Service leaflet is available here: Evening Prayer – Wed 19th Jan 2022
or below here:
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2022
Call to Worship
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Brothers and sisters, we are united today with fellow believers throughout the world as we gather to pray for the visible unity of the Church. We do this with worship resources prepared by the Middle East Council of Churches.
Our theme is inspired by the visit of the Magi to the new-born King, as described in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew:
“We observed his star in the East, and have come to pay him homage.”
Let us fix our eyes on the star that was seen in the East and allow it to lead us too.
Let us come into God’s presence in solidarity with all who are sick, suffering, marginalized, displaced and oppressed, knowing that our darkness can be dispelled by God’s light.
As we pray today for the unity of the Church, may we all journey together to meet Jesus the Saviour, the light of the world.
Glory be to you Father Almighty, for you have revealed yourself through your creation and invite all people to gather in your presence.
We have seen the star of Jesus in our lives and have come to worship him just as the Magi did.
We offer him ourselves today and we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit among us.
Unite us as we come to worship the King, all glorious above. Amen.
Prayer of Praise and Confession
We glorify you, O Lord, creator of heaven and earth, for you have set the lights in the vault of the sky. You separated light from darkness and arranged signs to mark sacred times, and
days and years. You studded the firmament with stars.
How majestic are your works, the heavens declare your glory and the skies proclaim the work of your hands! We glorify you, O Lord.
We praise you for you did not abandon us despite our rebellion but sent your Son to brighten our darkness and be our light and our salvation.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all humanity. And the light shines in the darkness. We praise you, O Lord.
We worship you, O Lord, for you accompany us in the chaos of our life through the power of your Holy Spirit. You light up our paths and give us wisdom and faith in a world of untruth and doubt. We worship you, O Lord.
We thank you, O Lord, for you send us into the world to witness to this light, in our various churches and diverse cultures, and to proclaim the Good News to Jesus, the one true King, offering ourselves to him. We thank you, O Lord.
May all the peoples bow before you and worship you. We have often preferred darkness, but you have given us light.
Therefore, we come to you confessing our sins and saying:
We confess that we have turned from your ways. We have harmed your good creation through our greed. We have polluted and poisoned the air, earth and waters, destroying habitats and species.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
We have acted selfishly towards our brothers and sisters. We have put our own needs and desires above our commitment to justice. We have built walls between us and planted seeds of mistrust.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
We have divided people based on ethnicity and culture, discriminating instead of celebrating difference. We have waged war, claiming Jesus for our side.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Forgive all these thoughts and deeds, O Lord, as we come before you in repentance.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom you have sent in the fullness of time to redeem all people, we ask you to have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and transform us into his glorious image so we can shine as a beacon of hope in our troubled world.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Almighty God hears our prayers, has mercy on us and forgives our sins.
Thanks be to God, whom we praise with all our voices.
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a safe place, to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;
What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honour.
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,
all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Response – Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!
First Reading Isaiah 9:2-7
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. 4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Response – Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!
Second Reading – Ephesians 5:8-14
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you”
Response – Holy God! Holy Mighty! Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!
Gospel Reading – Matthew 2:1-12 – The Magi Visit the Messiah
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Few thoughts.
Sharing Christ’s Light
A star led the Magi to Christ. Today many stars point to the presence of Christ, who has been revealed to us and whose light shines on us. As the Magi followed the star to Bethlehem, so we gather together tonight in God’s presence, adding our own stars, uniting our own gifts and prayers for the visible unity of the Church. As we journey towards that goal, may our lives together give a luminous witness that leads others to know Christ.
Prayers of Intercession
With faith and confidence, we come in prayer, before God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit: The Magi came from the East to pay homage and offer special gifts from their cultures and countries. We pray today for all Christian communities around the world in their diversity of worship and tradition: Lord we ask you to preserve these treasures, particularly in areas of the world where the presence and survival of the Church is threatened by violence and oppression. O, Lord hear our prayer
The early years of the Lord’s life were marked by violence and massacres at the orders of the despot Herod. We pray for children living in places in the world where violence continues and where its results are tangible. Strengthen, O Lord, the bonds of unity and mutual love among our churches and help us to cooperate and witness to your holy Name. Inspire us to work without ceasing in order to defend the oppressed and include the marginalized. Encourage us to stand together in the face of tyranny and oppressive regimes as we seek your Kingdom among us. O, Lord, hear our prayer
After the visit of the Magi, the holy family experienced migration through the wilderness and became refugees in the land of Egypt. We pray for all the refugees and uprooted people in this world: Equip us, Lord, to show hospitality to those driven from their homes, and grant us the spirit of welcome to those looking for a safe haven. O, Lord, hear our prayer
The birth of Jesus was good news for all, gathering people from different nations and religions in worship of the holy child. We pray for our efforts to seek harmony and dialogue with other religions: Lord, give us humility and patience to walk with others with respect on their journey O, Lord, hear our prayer
The Magi returned to their home by a different way. We pray for our churches in this changing world: Lord, help us to find new and creative ways to follow you and to witness to you so that the world may believe. O, Lord, hear our prayer
When the Magi saw the holy child, they rejoiced with great joy. Heavenly Father, fix our eyes on him so we do not lose our way. Unite us in the Lord Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, and who has taught us to pray, saying:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen
Sending and Blessing
Go now and live as children of light.
For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness.
Let us wake from sleep and Christ will shine upon us.
Peace be to the whole community, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Thanks be to God.
Prayers for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an international Christian
ecumenical observance kept annually between 18th January and 25th
January.
Here are some prayers you might like to offer for Unity:
Eternal Father,
we praise you for sending your Son
to be one of us and to save us.
Look upon your people with mercy,
for we are divided in so many ways,
and give us the Spirit of Jesus to make us one in love.
We ask this gift, loving Father,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our only Saviour, the Prince of peace:
give us grace seriously to take to heart
the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions.
We confess our hatred and prejudice
and all else that hinders us from godly union and concord.
As there is but one body and one Spirit,
and one hope of our calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of us all,
so may we henceforth be all of one heart and soul,
united in one holy bond of truth and peace,
of faith and charity,
and with one mouth give you glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father,
you have called us in the Body of your Son Jesus Christ
to continue his work of reconciliation
and reveal you to the world.
Forgive us the sins which tear us apart;
give us the courage to overcome our fears
and to seek that unity which is your gift and your will;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Church Review
Lesley Rue organises the distribution of the Church Review. If you would
like your name to be added to the list of recipients in 2022, please let her
know. She is currently collecting the annual 2022 subscriptions of €40.
The Hub
The Hub will re-open on Monday 10th January covid restrictions permitting.
Unwanted Christmas presents would be appreciated.
Flooding Coastal Wetlands and Creating New Wetlands
As climate change accelerates and earth’s average temperatures continue
to rise, it is vital to find innovative ways to store carbon. One such
example can be found outside Fakirk in eastern Scotland, where an area of
the Skinflats RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) reserve was
restored to saltmarsh by flooding it in 2018. A digger was used to breach
the sea wall and then sea water inundated the area. Careful studies were
conducted before and after the process. The resulting saltmarsh resembles
the pre-existing area of saltmarsh, in a remarkably short period of time. In
addition to increasing the wildlife value of the area, the mud is locking up
‘blue carbon’, that is the carbon stored in plants and soils, as organic
material rich in carbon accumulates in the soil. In essence, saltmarshes
build up stores of carbon that would otherwise be released to the
atmosphere as greenhouse gas. Thus, re-flooding coastal wetlands and,
indeed, creating new wetlands, could be used as a tool to reduce our
carbon footprint, in conjunction with a reduction in emissions. As sea levels
rise, one option would be to let coastal areas flood, taking the ‘soft
engineering’ approach rather than the ‘hard engineering’ approach.
Another topic!