worship

WORSHIP

Saint Leonard’s Advent Service Welcome to our OpenCast church service - on-line. There are prayers, readings, hymns and music; just as you would have in church. As you read through this service you may care to say aloud the bold text. To hear the music and the readings, click on each title (red, underlined text) (and remember to adjust the volume on your speakers).

Welcome

As we approach this Advent of expectation, draw us together in unity, that our praise and worship might echo in the internet and also through our lives. As we approach this Advent of expectation, draw us together in mission, that the hope within might be the song we sing and be the melody of our lives. As we approach this Advent of expectation, draw us together in service, that the path we follow might lead us from a stable to a glimpse of eternity. Amen.

Hymn

” O Come, O Come, Emmanuel “

Intercessions

Advent God, as we prepare to journey with you to Bethlehem’s stable and glimpse a new-born King, with ears attuned to the song of angels, with eyes alert for Bethlehem’s star; forgive us if on our journey if we are distracted by the tempting offers of this world. Keep our hearts aflame with the hope of Christmas, and the promise of a Saviour. Amen God of hope, be with us in our Advent journey to the stable and beyond, be with us in our meeting and in our travelling together, be with us in our worship and our praying together. Be with us in our Advent journey to the stable and beyond. Amen Restore us, O Lord, we pray, and bring us back to that place where we once met, as shepherds to the stable after hearing angels sing. Bring us back to that place when our love was fresh, not embarrassed to express itself in praise to our heavenly King. Restore us, O Lord, we pray. Amen

Reflection

First published in ‘The New Yorker’ (November 1990) entitled "Short and Sweet"

At

my

mother’s

Thanksgiving,

of

course,

after

the

food

was

put

on

the

table

my

father

prayed,

in

a

singsong

voice,

thanking

the

Almighty for many blessings, of which he would list a few.

Apart

from

the

blessings

of

faith,

there

are

fundamental

human

comforts

to

be

grateful

for

-

food,

the

love

of

those

around

us,

life in a free country - and my father did not hesitate to cite them.

I do.

But,

as

I

take

the

rolls

out

of

the

oven

and

nuke

the

gravy

for

a

minute

in

the

microwave,

I

try

to

imagine

a

little

prayer

for

my

dinner. The wild-rice dressing, the gorgeous bird, the yams - do I really intend to take all the credit for this?

A

dinner

this

good

requires

a

half-minute’s

graceful

pause

as

we

watch

the

sparks

rise

into

the

stars

and

we

feel

grateful

and

we confess that life is good. Even when it’s confused, it’s good.

And, in this country, too; as we anticipate Christmas - make out our shopping lists, struggle to get to one of many local supermarkets, shop in, cash out, and return home through the traffic - prepare our Christmas meals, struggle to eat so much good food, put off the washing-up - do not avoid the opportunity to pause (and make it “a grateful pause”) - then “feel grateful and confess that life is indeed good”. Thank God, it is. Garrison Keilor Veteran American broadcaster and wit

Worship Song

“ Awaken and Prepare Us ” Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Christ has no body now but ours. No hands, no feet on earth but ours. Ours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Ours are the feet with which he walks about to do good. Ours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Ours are the hands, ours are the feet, ours are the eyes, We are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but ours.

Blessing

Father God, every word in scripture points to the gift of hope that we have because of Christ Jesus. The Christmas story wasn’t the beginning of that message of hope because the old testament is full of glimpses of your plan to redeem your people and restore them into a relationship with you, but we are able to truly begin to see and understand just how great your love for us is when we read the story of Jesus’ birth in scripture. Help us to see that you are with us. Nothing is too difficult, too messy, or too dirty for you. Jesus came to give us the gift of eternal life through the salvation that only you, our Heavenly Father, can give when we believe on your Son, repent of our sins, and confess Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Help me to enjoy Advent and look forward to you coming into my life for a further year. Amen.

Made with Xara

Saint Leonard’s Remembrance Service Welcome to our OpenCast church service - on-line. There are prayers, readings, hymns and music; j ust as you would have in church. As you read through this service you may care to say aloud the bold text. To hear the music and the readings, click on each title (red, underlined text) (and remember to adjust the volume on your speakers).

Welcome

For those who have died Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day; fulfil in them the purpose of your love; and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For those who have died on active service O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those men and women who have died in active service: in Iraq, in Afghanistan and elsewhere. As we honour their courage and cherish their memory, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen.

Hymn

” O God, our help in ages past .. our hope for years to come “

Intercessions

Lord, have mercy on those who mourn, who feel numb and crushed, and are filled with the pain of grief, whose strength has given up. You know all our sighing and longings: be near to us and teach us to fix our hope on you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Lord, do not abandon us in our desolation. Keep us safe in the midst of trouble, and complete your purpose for us through your steadfast love and faithfulness, in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. Our eyes, Lord, are wasted with grief; you know we are weary with groaning. As we remember our death in the dark emptiness of the night, have mercy on us and heal us; forgive us and take away our fear through the dying and rising of Jesus your Son. Amen

Reflection

A SONNET FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

November

pierces

with

its

black

remembrance

of

all

the

bitterness

and

waste of war.

Our

silence

tries

but

fails

to

make

a

semblance

of

that

lost

peace

they

thought worth fighting for.

Our

silence

seeths

instead

with

wraiths

and

whispers

and

all

the

restless

rumours of new wars,

The

shells

are

singing

as

we

sing

our

vespers,

no

moment

is

unscarred

..

there

is no pause,

In

every

instant

bloodied

innocence

falls

to

the

weary

earth,

and

whilst

we

stand

Quiescence

ends

again

in

acquiescence,

and

Abel’s

blood

still

cries

in

every

land.

One silence only might redeem that blood .. only the silence of a dying God.

Malcolm Guite

“Do this in Remembrance of me” These words of Christ at the Last Supper were more than a simple command to commemorate. They are a call to awakening that in this life this important historical figure, Jesus of Nazareth, has left his mark on the world. As we come to the altar to follow this command the effects of that first Good Friday are not only called to mind, but are brought to effect having a direct bearing on our lives. Our memory forms us, it has a impact on who we are as individuals and as a society. The Early Church Fathers spoke of the memory as being ‘a power of the soul’; the great philosopher, Aristotle referred to it as being the ‘scribe of the soul’, such is its effect. Memory, and remembering informs us rightly or wrongly, and impacts our decision making and therefore our future. It also keeps the events of the past effective in our lives. Last Post The Last Post is a short military fanfare, traditionally played on a bugle which dates back to the 1790s, when it was used to signify that the final guard check at a military camp had been performed, and the camp was secure for the night. It was also played at the end of a day of battle, to alert that fighting was over for the day. The Last Post’s association with remembrance and military funerals dates back to the mid-19th century when it was played at the graves of soldiers who had died fighting abroad. It symbolises the that the duty of the dead soldier is over and that they can rest in peace.

Worship Song

“ Remembrance Hymn ” The Kohima Epitaph The Kohima Epitaph is the epitaph engraved on the Memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery of Kohima (North-East India). It reads: 'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.' The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875-1958), and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides of Ceos to honour the Greeks who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC.

Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Christ has no body now but ours. No hands, no feet on earth but ours. Ours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Ours are the feet with which he walks about to do good. Ours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Ours are the hands, ours are the feet, ours are the eyes, We are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but ours.

Blessing

"Lord God, help us this day to remember the sacrifice of those caught up in war, and the generations of men, women and children who have died in the cause of liberty and peace. Help us to remember those who still bear the physical and mental scars and disabilities of their service …. and give them peace." Amen.