A SERVICE OF WORDS AND MUSIC TO CELEBRATE MUSIC SUNDAY (14 JUNE)
[This is a video compilation for Music Sunday conducted by Father Ian and members of the Holy Saviour family, with recorded music mainly by the Holy Saviour Church Choir and the Radcliffe Singers. Click on this link for the playlist, which will play through the videos in order. You can stop and start it at any point, or select an individual video]
Introit: Come ye with joyfulness (Cantate Domino), by Giuseppe Pitoni (1657-1743), sung by the choir of Lincoln College, Oxford.
PREPARATION
Welcome and Greeting
O Lord, open our lips,
All: and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord
and to sing praises to your name, O Most High.
All: To tell of your love early in the morning
and of your faithfulness in the night-time.
O come, let us sing to the Lord;
All: let us heartily rejoice in the rock of our salvation.
Hymn: Angel-voices, ever singing – Hymns Old & New (HON) 33
Confession
We have too often exchanged the worship of the living God for
idols of our own imagining.
As we gather to offer our praises to the holy and undivided Trinity,
and to worship him in spirit and in truth,
let us call to mind our sins.
We have not always worshipped God, our creator.
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
We have failed to sing the Lord’s song in a strange land.
Christ, have mercy.
All: Christ, have mercy.
We have used your gifts to serve our own ends.
Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.
May the God of love
bring you back to himself,
forgive you your sins,
and assure you of his eternal love
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
THE WORD
Psalm: Paraphrase of Psalm 40:1-3, 9, 10 with a response.
You put a new song in my mouth:
a song of praise to you, my God.
All: You put a new song in my mouth:
a song of praise to you, my God.
I waited patiently for you, Lord;
You bent down to me and heard my cry for help.
All: You put a new song in my mouth.
Many shall see, and stand amazed,
And put their trust in you, Lord.
All: You put a new song in my mouth.
I love to do your will, Lord God;
your law is deep in my heart.
All: You put a new song in my mouth.
I proclaimed your righteousness in the gathering of God’s people;
I did not hold back from speaking out.
All: You put a new song in my mouth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is with us, he is our stronghold:
All: God will help at the break of day.
Reading: Ephesians 5.15-20
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hymn: Let all the world – HON 296
Gospel Acclamation
All: Alleluia, alleluia.
Sound praises to the Lord, all the earth;
break into singing and make music.
Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 1:57-68
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
All the neighbours were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD
Homily (Mike Kershaw)
Anthem: Bless O Lord, us Thy servants (Martin How)
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us declare our faith in God:
All: We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
PRAYERS
Let us pray:
In the quietness,
aware that we are only part of a great multitude,
on earth and in heaven,
who share in the Church’s offering of worship,
let us join ourselves with them
and bring to God in prayer our own hopes and needs,
together with those of all his children.
Through silence, spoken word and music,
let us be open to the God who both listens and speaks to us.
For your holy catholic Church,
seeking the renewal of her unity,
drawing men and women to Christ,
and proclaiming your love in all the world…
Let us pray to the Lord:
For the leaders of the churches,
for all who share Christ’s ministry in this place,
and especially for those who order the worship of your people,
that many may draw close to you in prayer and praise…
Let us pray to the Lord:
For all whom you inspire to compose music,
for all to whom you give skill and devotion to perform it,
and for all your children who are enriched and renewed by it…
Let us pray to the Lord:
For the nations of the world,
seeking the path to peace and justice:
for this country,
for Elizabeth our Queen,
and for all who strive to build here a society that is Christian and free…
Let us pray to the Lord:
For those who suffer in mind and body,
and for those who dedicate their lives to caring for their neighbours…
Let us pray to the Lord:
For all who have gone before us in the faith of Christ,
for those who in past generations have enriched your Church with fine music,
and for all who have served as musicians in this church,
Let us pray to the Lord:
Lord of the Church,
All: hear our prayer,
and makes us one in heart and mind
to serve you with joy forever.
Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Saviour taught us
All: 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 forever. Amen.
ENDING
The Peace
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
The Peace of the Lord be always with you
All: and also with you.
Hymn: Now thank we all our God – HON 354
Concluding Prayers
Creator God,
you have made us in your image to reflect your goodness.
You have called us to use our gifts to build your kingdom.
Give us wisdom and help us to use our skills to your glory
and for the building up of the people we serve.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
All: Amen.
All: God of majesty,
Whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven:
be with your servants who make music for your people,
that with joy we on earth may glimpse your beauty;
and bring us to the fulfilment of that hope of perfection
which will be ours as we stand before your unveiled glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Sending Out
May the songs of the angels sustain you,
may the praises of the saints inspire you,
may the silent music of the Unseen Trinity be in your heart,
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
All: Amen.
Postlude: Fantasia in G major, BWV 572 (J. S. Bach)