Organ Music

Thomas Roseingrave Voluntary in C minor
James Nares Fugue in A minor
Percy Whitlock Fidelis

Introit

Let the people praise thee, O God

Let the people praise thee, O God
yea, let all the people praise thee.
O let the nations rejoice and be glad:
for thou shalt judge the folk righteously,
and govern the nations upon earth.

Text: Psalm 67 3-5
Music: Noel de Jongh b.1930

Processional Hymn

O worship the King all glorious above; O gratefully sing his power and his love; our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendour and girded with praise.

O tell of his might, O sing of his grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space; his chariots of wrath the deep thunder clouds form, and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.

The earth with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, thy power hath founded of old; hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree, and round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, and sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust and feeble as frail, in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail; thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend!

O measureless might, ineffable love! While angels delight to hymn thee above, the humbler creation, in lowlier ways, with true adoration shall sing to thy praise.

Text: Robert Grant 1779-1838
Music: Hanover CH4 127 William Croft 1678-1727

Scripture Sentences

The Preces

O Lord open thou our lips

Richard Shephard 1949-1921

Bidding

Prayer

Collect

God our Creator, you have made us one with this earth, to tend it and to bring forth fruit. May we so respect and cherish all that has life from you, that we may share in the labour of all creation to give birth to your hidden glory, through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Brother, who lives in unity with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Lesson    Psalm 104 1-15, 35b

The Choir Sings Psalm 127

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Second Lesson    Colossians 3 12-17

Hymn

For the fruits of all creation,
thanks be to God;
for the gifts to every nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labour,
God's will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God's will is done;
in our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.

For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.

Text: Frederick Pratt Green 1903-2000
Music: East Acklam CH4 231 Francis Jackson b.1917

The Sermon

Anthem

Let the people praise thee O God

Let the people praise thee, O God: yea, let all the people praise thee.
O let the nations rejoice and be glad: for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

Text: Psalm 67
Music: William Mathias 1934-1992

The Offering

Prayer

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.

Hymn

We plough the fields, and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God's almighty hand:
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft, refreshing rain.
All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above;
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
for all his love.

He only is the Maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
the winds and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us, his children,
he gives our daily bread.

We thank you then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
Accept the gifts we offer
for all your love imparts,
with what we know you long for:
our humble, thankful hearts.

Text: Matthias Claudius 1740-1815 Tr. Jane Montgomery Campbell 1817-1878
Music: Wir pflügen CH4 229 Melody by J.A.P.Schulz 1747-1800

Benediction

Organ Voluntary
Guy Weitz Fanfare and Gothic March