TO KNOW GOD AND TO MAKE GOD KNOWN
These services are prepared by Rev Elaine and the people of St Laurence
If you cannot listen to the service by clicking on the image then please try this link: https://soundcloud.com/st-laurence-frodsham/the-presentation-epiphany-4
Below is a file with hymns and additional music.To view directly in a viewer, click on the file name. To download, click on 'Download'.
If you have difficulty listening to the service by clicking on the image try this link: https://soundcloud.com/st-laurence-frodsham/third-sunday-of-epiphany
Below is a file with hymns and additional music.To view directly in a viewer, click on the file name. To download, click on 'Download'.
If you have difficulty listening to the service by clicking on the image try this link: https://soundcloud.com/st-laurence-frodsham/second-sunday-of-epiphany
Below is a file with hymns and additional music.To view directly in a viewer, click on the file name. To download, click on 'Download'.
Below is a file containing the words for the hymns and a listing of the additional music. If you wish to view directly in a viewer, click on the file name. If you wish to download in order to print, click on the word Download.
Below is a file containing the words for the hymns. If you wish to view directly in a viewer, click on the file name. If you wish to download in order to print, click on the word Download.
There are three hymns and one recorded song, the words of which are below.
Additional music: Magnificat, Margaret Rizza
O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory o'er the grave.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times didst give the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Latin 13th century trans. John M Neale (1818-1866)
The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
'All hail', said he, 'thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favoured lady.'
Gloria!
'For known a blessèd mother thou shalt be,
all generations laud and honour thee,
thy son shall be Immanuel, by seers foretold;
most highly favoured lady.'
Gloria!
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
'To me be as it pleaseth God', she said,
'My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name':
most highly favoured lady.
Gloria!
Of her, Immanuel, the Christ was born
in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say,
'Most highly favoured lady.'
Gloria!
My heart feels
As if it's going to burst with joy
In praising God
My Saviour who sets me free
Though I'm only
Unimportant in this world
A lowly servant
My God has remembered me
Can there be anyone in this world
Happier than I am now?
He's done such great
And mighty things
And all my being sings
Can there be anyone in this world
Happier than me?
Through all time
His people bless his holy name
For he is kind
His promise is always sure
He will fling
The thrones of mighty kings away
Bring down the proud
And favour the hungry poor
Words & Music: Andrew Rudd,
Sung by Jackie Bellfield & Heptagon
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy Name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children's children and for evermore!
Timothy Dudley-Smith (born 1926) from Luke 1.46-55
There are three hymns, the words of which are below.
Extra music:
Additional music: Messiah by Handel
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake and hearken for he brings
glad tidings of the King of kings.
Then cleansed be every heart from sin;
make straight the way for God within;
prepare we in our hearts a home,
where such a mighty guest may come.
For you are our salvation, Lord,
our refuge, and our great reward;
without your grace we waste away,
like flowers that wither and decay.
Stretch out your hand, to heal our sore,
and make us rise to fall no more;
once more upon your people shine,
and fill the world with love divine.
All praise to you, eternal Son,
whose advent has our freedom won,
whom with the Father we adore,
and Holy Spirit, evermore.
Charles Coffin (1676-1749)
The gracious invitation stands
for any who will come;
the Father runs with open arms
to children heading home—
and all who trudge with weary feet
along life's dusty road
receive at last a welcome chance
to lose their heavy load.
No longer need we clothe our lives
in garments soiled and torn
when Christ gives robes of righteousness
for what was old and worn:
to those bereft of dignity
and yearning to be whole,
forgiveness brings the healing power
which liberates the soul.
When all that busy lives produce
is dry futility,
we find in Christ the living source
of full reality;
and if, within our hearts, the truth
is what we long to hear,
the whisper of the Spirit comes
as music to the ear.
Whoever looks for nourishment
will find the table spread:
the finest riches heaven holds,
foretold in wine and bread.
The banquet is for everyone,
the greatest and the least:
for all are called as honoured guests
to come and join the feast!
Martin E Leckebusch (born 1962)
Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes,
The Saviour promised long;
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.
He comes the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held;
The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of his grace
To enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, prince of peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With thy belovèd name.
Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)
There are three hymns, the words of which are below.
Extra music:
I cannot tell – sung by The Nebblett Family
Contrapunctus 12 from Bach: The Art Of Fugue - Neville Marriner: Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,
sing and praise your God and mine!
Great the Lord in love and wisdom,
might and majesty divine!
He who framed the starry heavens
knows and names them as they shine!
Praise the Lord, his people, praise him!
Wounded souls his comfort know;
those who fear him find his mercies,
peace for pain and joy for woe;
humble hearts are high exalted,
human pride and power laid low.
Praise the Lord for times and seasons,
cloud and sunshine, wind and rain;
spring to melt the snows of winter
till the waters flow again;
grass upon the mountain pastures,
golden valleys thick with grain.
Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,
peace and plenty crown your days;
love his laws, declare his judgments,
walk in all his words and ways;
he the Lord and we his children:
praise the Lord, all people, praise!
Timothy Dudley-Smith (b.1926) from Psalm 147
Thy kingdom come!— on bended knee
the passing ages pray;
and faithful souls have yearned to see
on earth that kingdom's day.
But the slow watches of the night
not less to God belong;
and for the everlasting right
the silent stars are strong.
And lo, already on the hills
the flags of dawn appear;
gird up your loins, ye prophet souls,
proclaim the day is near:
The day in whose clear-shining light
all wrong shall stand revealed,
when justice shall be throned in might,
and every hurt be healed;
When knowledge, hand in hand with peace,
shall walk the earth abroad:—
the day of perfect righteousness,
the promised day of God.
Frederick Lucian Hosmer (1840-1929)
I cannot tell how he whom angels worship
should stoop to love the peoples of the earth,
or why as shepherd he should seek the wand'rer
with his mysterious promise of new birth.
But this I know, that he was born of Mary,
when Beth'lem's manger was his only home,
and that he lived at Nazareth and laboured,
and so the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is come.
I cannot tell how silently he suffered,
as with his peace he graced this place of tears,
or how his heart upon the cross was broken,
the crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, he heals the broken-hearted,
and stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
and lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
for yet the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is here.
I cannot tell how he will win the nations,
how he will claim his earthly heritage,
how satisfy the needs and aspirations
of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see his glory,
and he shall reap the harvest he has sown,
and some glad day his sun shall shine in splendour
when he the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is known.
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
when, at his bidding, ev'ry storm is stilled,
or who can say how great the jubilation
when ev'ry heart with perfect love is filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
and myriad, myriad human voices sing,
and earth to heav'n, and heav'n to earth, will answer:
'At last the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is King!'
William Young Fullerton (1857–1932)
There are three hymns, the words of which are below.
Closing music: Columcille, by David Fizgerald
Hark! a herald voice is calling:
‘Christ is nigh!’ it seems to say;
‘Cast away the dreams of darkness,
O ye children of the day!’
Startled at the solemn warning,
let the earth-bound soul arise;
Christ, her sun, all sloth dispelling,
shines upon the morning skies.
Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,
comes with pardon down from heav’n;
let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
one and all to be forgiv’n.
So when next he comes with glory,
wrapping all the earth in fear,
may he then, as our defender,
on the clouds of heav’n appear.
Honour, glory, praise and blessing,
to the Father and the Son,
with the co-eternal Spirit,
while unending ages run.
Anonymous Latin
Trans. Edward Caswall (1814–1878)
Ye servants of the Lord,
Each for his coming wait,
Observant of his heavenly word,
And watchful at his gate.
Let all your lamps be bright,
And trim the golden flame;
Gird up your loins, as in his sight,
For awesome is his name.
Watch: 'tis your Lord's command;
And while we speak he's near;
Mark the first signal of his hand,
And ready all appear.
O happy servant he,
In such a posture found!
He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honour crowned.
O happy servants they,
In such a posture found!
who share their Saviour’s triumph day
with joy and honour crowned.
Christ shall the banquet spread
With his own royal hand,
And raise each favoured servant's head
Amid the angelic band.
Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)
Lo, he comes with clouds descending,
once for favoured sinners slain;
thousand thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train:
alleluia!
Christ appears on earth to reign.
Every eye shall now behold him
robed in dreadful majesty;
we who set at naught and sold him,
pierced and nailed him to the tree,
deeply wailing,
shall the true Messiah see.
Those dear tokens of his passion
still his dazzling body bears;
cause of endless exultation
to his ransomed worshippers:
with what rapture
gaze we on those glorious scars.
Yea, amen, let all adore thee,
high on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own:
come, Lord Jesus!
everlasting God, come down!
Yea, amen, let all adore thee,
high on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own:
alleluia!
thou shalt reign, and thou alone.
Charles Wesley (1707-1788),
Martin Madan (1726-1790),
John Cennick (1718-1755)
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