Welcome to our services in 'Ordinary Time' - 2

  Help us to help each other, Lord,

each other's cross to bear;

let each a helping hand afford,

and feel each other's care.

Up into thee, our living head,

let us in all things grow,

and by thy sacrifice be led

the fruits of love to show.

Touched by the magnet of thy love

let all our hearts agree;

and ever towards each other move,

and ever move towards thee.

This is the bond of perfectness,

thy spotless charity.

O let us still, we pray, possess

the mind that was in thee.

Charles Wesley 

From heaven you came helpless babe

Entered our world, your glory veiled

Not to be served but to serve

And give Your life that we might live

This is our God, The Servant King

He calls us now to follow Him

To bring our lives as a daily offering

Of worship to The Servant King

There in the garden of tears

My heavy load he chose to bear

His heart with sorrow was torn

'Yet not My will but Yours, ' He said

Come see His hands and His feet

The scars that speak of sacrifice

Hands that flung stars into space

To cruel nails surrendered

So let us learn how to serve,

And in our lives enthrone Him;

Each other’s needs to prefer,

For it is Christ we’re serving.

Graham Kendrick

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour,

Live in me from day to day,

By his love and power controlling

All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly

In my heart from hour to hour,

So that all may see I triumph

Only through his power.

May the peace of God my Father

Rule my life in everything,

That I may be calm to comfort

Sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me,

As the waters fill the sea;

Him exalting, self abasing,

This is victory.

May I run the race before me,

Strong and brave to face the foe,

Looking only unto Jesus

As I onward go.

Kate Barclay Wilkinson 

  Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,

to his feet your tribute bring;

ransomed, healed, 

restored, forgiven,

who like you his praise should sing?

Alleluia, alleluia!

praise the everlasting King.

Praise him for his grace and favour

to our fathers in distress;

praise him, still the same as ever,

slow to blame and swift to bless;

Alleluia, alleluia!

glorious in his faithfulness.

Father-like, he tends and spares us,

All our hopes and fears he knows;

in his hands he gently bears us,

rescues us from all our foes:

Alleluia, alleluia!

widely as his mercy flows.

Angels, help us to adore him;

you behold him face to face;

sun and moon, 

bow down before him,

praise him all in time and space.

Alleluia, alleluia!

praise with us the God of grace.

  Lord, today your voice is calling,

Lifting thoughts to things above;

Life is wonderful, enthralling,

Touched by your unfailing love.

Suddenly I see the beauty

Often hidden from my gaze;

So, I come, not out of duty,

But with glad and grateful praise.

Lord, I sometimes fail to value

All your blessings as I should.

Slow to make the time to thank you,

Blind to so much that is good.

Days are lived in such a hurry

There’s no time to stop and stare,

Joy is crushed by weight of worry,

Happiness obscured by care.

Lord, today I come rejoicing,

Vowed to waste your gifts no more;

Bringing praise and gladly voicing

What I should have voiced before.

Pouring out my adoration,

Scarcely knowing where to start,

With a song of exultation,

Lord, I thank you from the heart.

Nick Fawcett (b. 1957) © Copyright 2004 Kevin Mayhew Ltd.

Guide me, O thou great redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me now and evermore,
Feed me now and evermore.

Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield,
Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell's destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs and praises, songs and praises,
I will ever give to thee,
I will ever give to thee.

-----------------------

Taize song

  Bless the Lord, my soul

And bless God’s holy name

Bless the Lord, my soul

who leads me into life  

Inspired by love and anger, 

disturbed by need and pain,

Informed of God's own bias, 

we ask him once again:

"How long must some folk suffer? 

How long can few folk mind?

How long dare vain self-interest 

turn prayer and pity blind?"

From those forever victims 

of heartless human greed,

Their cruel plight composes 

a litany of need:

"Where are the fruits of justice? 

Where are the signs of peace?

When is the day when prisoners 

and dreams find their release?"

To God, who through the prophets 

proclaimed a different age,

We offer earth's indifference, 

its agony and rage:

"When will the wronged by righted? 

When will the kingdom come?

When will the world be generous 

to all instead of some?"

Amused in someone's kitchen, 

asleep in someone's boat,

Attuned to what the ancients 

exposed, proclaimed and wrote,

A saviour without safety, 

a tradesman without tools

Has come to tip the balance 

with fishermen and fools.

Iona Community, Tune: Sally Gardens

O Lord of our Salvation 

the pains of all creation 

are born upon your cross 

the failure of compassion 

revealed in starkest fashion 

exposes all our gold as dross. 

We hear your voice protesting 

to love and hope attesting 

where justice is denied. 

Where innocents are dying, 

where hate is crucifying, 

you call us to your bleeding side. 

O give us faith to stay here, 

to wait, to watch and pray here, 

and witness to your cry 

in scarred and tearful faces, 

in countless painful places, 

you give us hope that will not die. 

Michael Forster, Music: Bach

All for Jesus! All for Jesus!

this our song shall ever be;

for we have no hope, nor Saviour,

if we have not hope in thee.

All for Jesus! thou wilt give us

strength to serve thee, hour by hour,

none can move us from thy presence,

while we trust thy love and power.

All for Jesus! at thine altar

thou wilt give us sweet content;

there, dear Lord, we shall receive thee

in thy holy sacrament.

All for Jesus! thou hast loved us;

all for Jesus! thou hast died;

all for Jesus! thou art with us;

all for Jesus glorified!

All for Jesus! all for Jesus!

this the Church's song must be;

till, at last, the flock is gathered

one in love and one in thee.

.Jesus calls us here to meet him

as, through word and song and prayer,

we affirm God's promised presence

where his people live and care.

Praise the God who keeps his promise;

praise the Son who calls us friends;

praise the Spirit who, among us,

to our hopes and fears attends.

Jesus calls us to confess him

Word of life and Lord of all,

sharer of our flesh and frailness,

saving all who fail or fall.

Tell his holy human story;

tell his tales that all may hear;

tell the world that Christ in glory

came to earth to meet us here.

Jesus calls us to each other,

vastly different though we are;

creed and colour, class and gender

neither limit nor debar.

Join the hand of friend and stranger;

join the hands of age and youth;

join the faithful and the doubter

in their common search for truth.

Jesus calls us to his table

rooted firm in time and space,

where the Church in earth and heaven

finds a common meeting place.

Share the bread and wine, his body;

share the love of which we sing;

share the feast for saints and sinners

hosted by our Lord and King.

Iona - John L. Bell and Graham Maule

Sweet Sacrament divine,

Hid in thine earthly home,

Lo, round thy lowly shrine,

With suppliant hearts we come;

Jesu, to thee our voice we raise

In songs of love and heartfelt praise:

Sweet Sacrament divine.

Sweet Sacrament of peace,

Dear home for every heart,

Where restless yearnings cease

And sorrows all depart;

There in thine ear all trustfully

We tell our tale of misery:

Sweet Sacrament of peace.

Sweet Sacrament of rest,

Ark from the ocean's roar,

Within thy shelter blest

Soon may we reach the shore;

Save us, for still the tempest raves,

Save, lest we sink beneath the waves:

Sweet Sacrament of rest.

Sweet Sacrament divine,

Earth's light and jubilee,

In thy far depths doth shine

The Godhead's majesty;

Sweet light, so shine on us, we pray

That earthly joys may fade away:

Sweet Sacrament divine.

Longing for light, we wait in darkness

Longing for truth, we turn to You.

Make us Your own, Your holy people

Light for the world to see.

Christ, be our light!

Shine in our hearts,

Shine through the darkness.

Christ, be our light!

Shine in Your church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled

Longing for hope, many despair.

Your word alone has pow'r to save us.

Make us your living voice.

Christ, be our light…

Longing for food, many are hungry

Longing for water, many still thirst.

Make us Your bread, broken for others

Shared until all are fed.

Christ, be our light…

Longing for shelter, many are homeless

Longing for warmth, many are cold.

Make us Your building, sheltering others

Walls made of living stone.

Christ, be our light…

Many the gift, many the people

Many the hearts that yearn to belong.

Let us be servants to one another

Making Your kingdom come.

Christ, be our light!

As we are gathered Jesus is here

One with each other, Jesus is here

Joined by the Spirit, washed in the blood

Part of the body, the church of God

As we are gathered Jesus is here

One with each other, Jesus is here

 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,

bow down before him, his glory proclaim;

with gold of obedience and incense of lowliness,

kneel and adore him the Lord is his name.

Low at his feet lay your burden of carefulness,

high on his heart he will bear it for you,

comfort your sorrows 

and answer your prayerfulness,

guiding your steps in the way that is true.

Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness

of the poor wealth you would count as your own;

truth in its beauty and love in its tenderness

these are the offerings to bring to his throne.

These, though we bring them 

in trembling and fearfulness,

he will accept for the name that is dear;

mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,

trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,

bow down before him, his glory proclaim;

with gold of obedience and incense of lowliness,

kneel and adore him the Lord is his name.

  Father, hear the prayer we offer:

Not for ease that prayer shall be,

But for strength, that we may ever

Live our lives courageously.

Not for ever in green pastures

Do we ask our way to be;

But the steep and rugged pathway

May we tread rejoicingly.

Not forever by still waters

Would we idly rest and stay;

But would smite the living fountains

From the rocks along our way.

Be our strength in hours of weakness,

In our wanderings be our Guide;

Through endeavour, failure, danger,

Saviour, be thou at our side.

  Brother, sister, let me serve you;

let me be as Christ to you;

pray that I may have the grace to

let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,

and companions on the road;

we are here to help each other

walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you

in the night-time of your fear;

I will hold my hand out to you,

speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;

when you laugh I'll laugh with you;

I will share your joy and sorrow,

till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,

we shall find such harmony,

born of all we've known together

of Christ's love and agony.

Brother, sister, let me serve you;

let me be as Christ to you;

pray that l may have the grace to

let you be my servant too.

Jesus, you are the bread we long for.

Jesus, you are the word we need.

Jesus, here in your gathered people today,

you live to show us the way.

For those who starve you become bread,

For those who thirst you become wine.

Do this in memory of me

For those in need you became poor.

For those in shame your love is sure.

Do this in memory of me

For those who weep your arms are wide. 

Those who are lost you sit beside.

Do this in memory of me

For those alone you speak your word.

For those oppressed your cry is heard.

Do this in memory of me

King of all Kings, choosing to serve.

To the world’s eyes failed and absurd.

Do this in memory of me

(Bernadette Farrell)

  O  Lord, all the world belongs to You

and You are always making all things new.

What is wrong, You forgive,

and the new life You give

is what’s turning the world upside down.

The world’s only loving to its friends,

but Your way of loving never ends,

loving enemies too;

and this loving with You

is what’s turning the world upside down.

The world lives divided and apart,

You draw us together, and we start

in our friendship to see

that in harmony we

can be turning the world upside down.

The world wants the wealth 

to live in state,

but You show a new way to be great:

like a servant You came,

and if we do the same,

we’ll be turning the world upside down.

O Lord, all the world belongs to You

and You are always making all things new.

What is wrong, You forgive,

and the new life You give

is what’s turning the world upside down.

God of mercy, God of grace,

show the brightness of your face.

Shine upon us, Saviour, shine;

fill your world with light divine;

all your saving health extend

unto earth's remotest end.

Let the people praise you, Lord;

be by all that live adored.

Let the nations shout and sing

glory to their gracious King;

at your feet their tribute pay,

and your holy will obey.

Let the people praise you, Lord;

earth shall then its fruits afford.

Unto us your blessing give;

we to you devoted live,

all below and all above,

one in joy and light and love.

 In Christ alone my hope is found,

He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest 

drought and storm.

What heights of love, 

what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, 

when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe.

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The love of God was satisfied 

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain:

Then bursting forth in glorious day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His and He is mine 

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

God, eternal and unchanging,

Though unbound by time or place,

yet with constant, tender yearning

you sustain our human race.

History in all its colours,

present moment where we stand,

hidden future, still to open – 

all are gathered in your hand.

God who sees all human stories,

You in each your touch display;

Sometimes known and sometimes hidden

You have met us on our way.

Though we may have failed or faltered,

doubted love, resisted grace,

yet, persistent, you walked with us,

as we travelled to this place.

God, whose life pervades each moment,

meet us in this present hour,

as we open thought and action

to your life’s transforming power.

Startle, challenge and confront us,

touch our hearts and free our hands

so that we may see and serve you,

yield to all your love demands.

God who stands beyond the future,

what’s to come is still unknown.

Yet, unchanging, you are with us

and we will not walk alone.

Go with us through doubt and darkness,

Stand with us in hopeful place,

‘til the chain of time is broken

And we see you face-to-face.

  (Pat Bennett Tune: Blaenwern)

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,

forgive our foolish ways:

re-clothe us in our rightful mind;

in purer lives thy service find,

in deeper reverence praise…

In simple trust like theirs who heard,

beside the Syrian sea,

the gracious calling of the Lord

let us, like them, obey his word:

'Rise up and follow thee!...

O sabbath rest by Galilee! 

O calm of hills above,

when Jesus knelt to share with thee

the silence of eternity interpreted by love…

Drop thy still dews of quietness,

till all our strivings cease;

take from our souls the strain and stress,

and let our ordered lives confess

the beauty of thy peace…

Breathe through the heats of our desire

thy coolness and your balm;

let sense be dumb, let flesh retire,

speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,

O still small voice of calm…

Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God,

In every part with praise,

That my whole being may proclaim

Thy being and Thy ways.

Not for the lip of praise alone,

Nor e’en the praising heart,

I ask, but for a life made up

Of praise in every part:

Praise in the common things of life,

Its goings out and in;

Praise in each duty and each deed,

However small and mean.

Fill every part of me with praise;

Let all my being speak

Of Thee and of Thy love, O Lord,

Poor though I be and weak.

So shalt thou, Lord, receive from me

The praise and glory due;

And so shall I begin on earth 

The song for ever new.

So shall each fear, each fret, each care

Be turn-ed into song

And every winding of the way

The echo shall prolong.

So shall no part of day or night

From sacredness be free,

But all my life, in every step,

Be fellowship with Thee.