Click here to download for printing service text for Sunday 22nd November
Or follow the text below
Service audio for 22nd November
Led by Revd. Michael Hodgson
Call to Worship
The wisdom of God calls to us, from the heights, along the paths, and at
the crossroads. Come into God’s presence to worship, sing, and pray.
From our scattered places we come. Let us worship God.
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne.
Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion thunder like a mighty flood;
“Jesus out of ev’ry nation hath redeemed us by His blood.
Alleluia! Not as orphans are we left in sorrow now.
Alleluia! He is near us; faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received Him when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget His promise, “I am with you evermore”?
Alleluia! Bread of Angels, Here on earth our food, our stay!
Alleluia! here the sinful Flee to thee from day to day:
Intercessor, friend of sinners, Earth’s redeemer, plead for me,
Where the songs of all the sinless Sweep across the crystal sea.
Alleluia! King eternal, Ye the Lord of lords we own;
Alleluia! Born of Mary, Earth thy footstool, heav’n thy throne:
Thou within the veil hast entered, Robed in flesh, our great high priest;
Thou on earth both priest and victim In thy Eucharistic feast.
Opening Prayer, Confession and Assurance and Pardon
The Lord’s Prayer
Reading: St Matthew 25 : 31 – 46
There is a land of pure delight Where saints, immortal reign
Infinite day excludes the night and pleasures banish pain.
There everlasting spring abides And never withering flowers:
Death, like a narrow sea, divides this heav’nly land from ours.
Could we but climb where Moses stood
And view the landscape o’er
Not Jordan’s streams nor death’s cold flood
Should fright us from this shore
O could we make our doubts remove Those gloomy thoughts that rise
and see the Canaan that we love with unbeclouded eyes!
Could we but climb ….
(sung twice)
Sermon
Christ, of God unseen the image,
born before creation’s birth;
through whom all things were created,
all that live in heaven and earth –
realms and rulers, thrones, dominions,
powers great and forces small
through and for Him made and fashioned –
He is in and over all.
Christ the firstborn of creation,
Christ in whom all things cohere,
all things’ Maker, seen and unseen,
low and lofty, far and near,
Christ the head of His dear body,
of His Church the living core,
risen from the dead before us –
Him we gladly now adore.
Christ in whom the very fullness
of the living God is found,
Christ who reconciles creation
turning earth to holy ground,
Christ the home of God’s good pleasure
through whose blood is made our peace,
in whose Cross, beyond all measure,
is our freedom and release.
Affirmation of Faith
Do you believe in the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who
gathers, protects, and cares for the Church through Word and Spirit. This God has done since the beginning of the world and will do to the end. We do
Do you believe that God is the One who wishes to bring about justice and true peace among people. We do.
Do you believe that God, in a world full of injustice and enmity, is in a
special way the God of the destitute, the poor, and the wronged?
We do.
This is the faith of the Church! We are proud to confess it in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayers of Intersession
Offertory Prayer
Christ triumphant, ever reigning,
Saviour, Master, King!
Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining,
hear us as we sing:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
Word incarnate, truth revealing,
Son of Man on earth!
power and majesty concealing
by your humble birth:
Yours the glory…
Suffering servant, scorned, ill treated,
victim crucified!
death is through the cross defeated,
sinners justified:
Yours the glory…
Priestly king, enthroned for ever
high in heaven above!
sin and death and hell shall never
stifle hymns of love:
Yours the glory…
So, our hearts and voices raising
through the ages long,
ceaselessly upon you gazing,
this shall be our song:
Yours the glory…