MORTAL:
“The night is cold, the hour is late, the world is bleak and drear;
Who is it knocking at my door?”
THE NEW YEAR:
“I am Good Cheer.”
MORTAL:
“Your voice is strange; I know you not; in shadows dark I grope.
What seek you here?”
THE NEW YEAR:
“Friend, let me in; my name is Hope.”
MORTAL:
“And mine is Failure; you but mock the life you seek to bless. Pass on.”
THE NEW YEAR:
“Nay, open wide the door; I am Success.”
MORTAL:
“But I am ill and spent with pain; too late has come your wealth. I cannot
use it.”
THE NEW YEAR:
“Listen, friend; I am Good Health.”
MORTAL:
“Now, wide I fling my door. Come in, and your fair statements prove.”
THE NEW YEAR:
“But you must open, too, your heart, for I am Love.”
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Parish News
WEDNESDAY 12th JANUARY: COMPLINE
Topic: Evening Prayer
Time: Jan 12, 2022 07:30 PM London
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The service leaflet is available here:Wednesday Compline_12Jan2022
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WEDNESDAY 12th JANUARY: COMPLINE
PREPARATION
OPENING PRAYER
Stand
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
A SENTENCE OF SCRIPTURE
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
VERSICLES AND RESPONSES
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.
THE WORD OF GOD
PSALM
Psalm 134
1 Behold now, praise the Lord, ■
all ye servant of the Lord.
2 Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord ■
even in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary ■
and praise the Lord.
4 The Lord that made heaven and earth ■
give thee blessing out of Zion.
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.
A READING
St. Luke 11:33-36
‘No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar, but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.’
ADDRESS
RESPONSORY
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth.
HYMN
Before the ending of the day,
creator of the world, we pray
that thou with wonted love wouldst keep
thy watch around us while we sleep.
O let no evil dreams be near,
or phantoms of the night appear;
our ghostly enemy restrain,
lest aught of sin our bodies stain.
Thy glory, Christ, is manifest;
all peoples, Lord, by thee are blessed;
whom with the Father, we adore,
and Holy Spirit, evermore. Amen.
VERSICLE AND RESPONSE
The following responsory may be said:
Keep me as the apple of an eye.
Hide me under the shadow of thy wings.
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.
THE GOSPEL CANTICLE
NUNC DIMITTIS
The Song of Simeon Luke 2: 29-32
1 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, ■
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 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.
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.
PRAYER
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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. 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.
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
A prayerful examination of the past day may be undertaken after which the following or other suitable words of penitence may be used
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.
The priest, when present, pronounces the absolution.
May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
VERSICLES AND RESPONSES
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
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.
O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE ENDING
DISMISSAL
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.
BLESSING
May Christ, who heals us through his blood, bless us.
May he restore in us whatever is lacking in our faith
and set us at liberty to worship him in freedom
through our words and deeds. Amen.
Evening Prayer 22nd December 2021
Topic: Suzanne Harris’ Zoom Meeting
Time: Dec 22, 2021 07:30 PM London
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EVENING PRAYER – Wednesday 22nd December 2021
The Greeting
May the light and love and peace of Christ be with you all, this Christmas time.
And also with you.
Sentence of Scripture
“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him” 1 John 4 v 9
Penitence
During Advent, we have remembered how the Patriarchs, the Prophets, John the Baptist and Mary, all gave themselves fully in doing God’s will.
Let us confess our failings in the service of our Lord,
When we are faced with a challenge but regress to old attitudes,
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,
When we face difficult times but fail to trust in your good purposes,
Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy,
When we look inwards to our selfish concerns rather than outwards to a world in need,
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,
When we are agents of gloom rather than messengers of hope,
Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy,
The almighty and merciful God, grant us pardon and forgiveness of all our sins, time for amendment of life and the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Reading – Micah 4 verse 1 – 5 – The Mountain of the Lord
4 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. 2 Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
4 Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5 All the nations may walk in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever
Ephesians 2 v 11 – 22 – Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—
12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,
16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Few thoughts
Canticle – MAGNIFICAT
My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be, bless his holy name.
He looks upon me his servant, looks on me in my lowliness.
He works marvels for me, Hence forth all ages call me blessed, Call me blessed.
He scatters the proud hearted, casts the mighty from their thrones.
His mighty arm before me, In strength he raises the lowly, raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with plenty, but empty sends the rich away.
From age to age his mercy, The mercy promised us forever, promised forever.
My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be, bless his holy name
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
Advent Creed
We believe in one God, who is Creator,
maker of all we see and all we don’t see.
Who is Ruler of the universe: Source of all creation!
We believe in one God, who is Jesus Christ,
God from God, Light from Light, true God and true human.
He is one with the Creator; the Word made flesh,
our Messiah: Saviour of all creation!
We believe in one God, who is Holy Spirit,
Breath of God moving among us;
Who is one with the Creator; one with the Christ;
our Comforter and our Guide: Mentor of all creation!
The Prayers of the People
Lord hear us Response – Lord help 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 Blessing
God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas, which is love;
the radiance of Christmas, which is purity;
the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
the belief in Christmas, which is truth;
the all of Christmas, which is Christ and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.
Evening Prayer 15th December 2021
Alexander Aquilla is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Wednesday Evening Prayer 15th December
Time: Dec 15, 2021 07:30 PM London
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The service leaflet is available here: Wednesday 15th December
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Wednesday 15th December 2021
PREPARATION
GREETING
The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of
darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:12
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Reveal among us the light of your presence
that we may behold your power and glory.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
creator of light and darkness,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
As evening falls, you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
May your word be a lantern to our feet
and a light upon our path
that we may behold your coming among us.
Strengthen us in our stumbling weakness
and free our tongues to sing your praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
PENITENTIAL KYRIES
Turn to us again, O God our Saviour,
And let your anger cease from us.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Show us your mercy, O Lord,
And grant us your salvation.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Your salvation is near for those that fear you,
That glory may dwell in our land.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
O Lord Jesus Christ,
who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you:
Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries
may likewise so prepare and make ready your way
by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
that at your second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;
for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.
MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A READING
Luke 7:31-35
31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?
32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another,
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say,
‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look
at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom
is justified by all her children.”
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 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.
PSALMS
Psalm 42
1 As the deer longs for the water brooks, ♦︎
so longs my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, even for the living God; ♦︎
when shall I come before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my bread day and night, ♦︎
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’
4 Now when I think on these things, I pour out my soul: ♦︎
how I went with the multitude
and led the procession to the house of God,
5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, ♦︎
among those who kept holy day.
6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦︎
and why are you so disquieted within me?
7 O put your trust in God; ♦︎
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
8 My soul is heavy within me; ♦︎
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from Hermon and the hill of Mizar.
9 Deep calls to deep in the thunder of your waterfalls; ♦︎
all your breakers and waves have gone over me.
10 The Lord will grant his loving-kindness in the daytime; ♦︎
through the night his song will be with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
11 I say to God my rock,
‘Why have you forgotten me, ♦︎
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresses me?’
12 As they crush my bones, my enemies mock me; ♦︎
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’
13 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦︎
and why are you so disquieted within me?
14 O put your trust in God; ♦︎
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 43
1 Give judgement for me, O God,
and defend my cause against an ungodly people; ♦︎
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.
2 For you are the God of my refuge;
why have you cast me from you, ♦︎
and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresses me?
3 O send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, ♦︎
and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling,
4 That I may go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy and gladness; ♦︎
and on the lyre I will give thanks to you, O God my God.
5 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦︎
and why are you so disquieted within me?
6 O put your trust in God; ♦︎
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
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.
THE SERMON (A Short Reflection)
RESPONSE
THE PRAYERS
– A Time of Open Prayer –
A COLLECT
Almighty God,
Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. 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.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
DIMISSAL
In peace we will lie down and sleep;
for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.
Abide with us, Lord Jesus,
for the night is at hand and the day is now past.
As the night watch looks for the morning,
so do we look for you, O Christ.
The Lord bless us and watch over us;
the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us;
the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace.
Amen.
Online Booking for Christmas Services
As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, the number who may attend the
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services is limited to 75. Places at
these services need to be pre-booked. If you turn up without a
ticket, you are likely to be disappointed. Booking can be done via the
parish Facebook and website. No more than 5 per booking is permitted.
The links to bookings for services in Nun’s Cross are:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/christmas-eve-service-2021-tickets-217638662097
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/10-am-christmas-day-service-2021-tickets-217640136507
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1130-am-christmas-day-service-2021-tickets-217640317047
Places at the midnight service in Wicklow may be booked here:
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/220164707567
For those who are unable to attend, services will be livestreamed.
If you run into any difficulty booking your tickets please contact Sinead at wicklowandkilliskeycoi@outlook.com
The Hub December
Ashford Charity Shop has a wide range of Christmas goods for sale,
including Mothers’ Union cards. Opening hours are from 11am-3pm on
Mondays and Saturdays and from 10am-4pm on Tuesdays to Fridays.
Re-Opening January 2022
Provided there is no worsening in the Coronavirus situation, it is hoped to
re-open the monthly Sunday 5pm Family Service and the joint Saturday
9am Bible Study with Ashford Parish in January 2022.
Friendship Group December
The next get together will be for afternoon tea on Monday 20th December
at 11am in the Wicklow Methodist Hall. All welcome! Further information
available from Linda Walsh: 086 8228378.
Christmas Services
As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, the number who may attend the
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services is limited to 75. Places at these
services need to be pre-booked. If you turn up without a ticket, you are
likely to be disappointed. No more than 5 per booking is permitted.
If you run into any difficulty booking your tickets please contact Sinead
at wicklowandkilliskeycoi@outlook.com or Lesley.
The links to bookings for services in Nun’s Cross are (bookings will
commence from 5th December):
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/christmas-eve-service-2021-tickets-217638662097
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/10-am-christmas-day-service-2021-tickets-217640136507
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/1130-am-christmas-day-service-2021-tickets-217640317047
Places at the midnight service in Wicklow may also require booking. Please
go to the Wicklow Parish website for details.
Advent Reflections Series
The Ecumenical Bible Week executive is providing a series of Reflections
for each day of Advent (28 November to 24 December inclusive). The
series is called “Walking Advent with the Scriptures”. Each day there will
be a different contributor who will give a reflection based on a Scripture
reading. These will be given by a broad range of people – clergy and lay,
female and male, based throughout Ireland and from many different
Christian traditions.
The Videos can be viewed each day of Advent from 12:30pm on the
Ecumenical Bible week Facebook page which is
https://www.facebook.com/bibleweekie
The daily Advent Calendar in use can also be downloaded there.
Ecumenical Bible Week takes place each year between Pentecost and
Trinity Sunday. It features a range of talks, seminars and prayer times.
Rev Ken is a member of the organising team.