St. Giles’ Cathedral
Morning Service at 9.30am
4th Sunday after Easter
Sunday 28th April 2024
Organ Music
J.S.Bach Wir glauben all an einen Gott BWV 1098
Herbert Howells Dalby’s Fancy
Herbert Howells Aria
Introit
Holy God, holy and strong
Holy God, holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
Have mercy on us.
Music: Anthony Piccolo b.1946
Processional Hymn
Come, you faithful, raise the strain
of triumphant gladness;
God has brought his Israel
into joy from sadness.
loosed from Pharaoh's bitter yoke
Jacob's sons and daughters,
led them with unmoistened foot
through the Red Sea waters.
'Tis the spring of souls today;
Christ has burst his prison,
and from three days' sleep in death
as a sun has risen;
all the winter of our sins,
long and dark, is flying
from his light, to whom we give
laud and praise undying.
Now the queen of seasons, bright
with the day of splendour,
with the royal feast of feasts
comes its joy to render;
comes to gladden Christian hearts,
which, with true affection
welcome in unwearied strains
Jesus' resurrection.
Neither could the gates of death,
nor the grave’s dark portal,
nor the watchers, nor the seal,
hold you as a mortal;
Here today amid your own
now you stand, bestowing
your own peace, which evermore
passes human knowing.
Text: St John of Damascus d.c750 Tr J.M.Neale 1818-66 and others
Music: Ave virgo virginum CH4 414 Melody from Horn’s Gesangbuch 1544
Invitation
Confession
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Kyrie Eleison sung by the Choir
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Missa brevis Helen Grime
Declaration of forgiveness
Gloria patri sung by the choir (Tone vi)
First Lesson Acts 8 26-40
Metrical Psalm
God of hosts, you chose a vine
meant to bear the finest wine,
set it in a promised land,
nurtured by your careful hand:
Like a cedar, it grew strong-
deep its roots, its tendrils long;
yet, in envy those around
stripped its branches to the ground.
Desolate, to God we cry:
'Spare us from the enemy!'
God of hosts, turn back again,
all such wickedness restrain:
Turn us too, for we have failed,
faithfulness has not prevailed;
visit, Lord, and heal your vine,
on its fruit let glory shine!
Text: From Psalm 80 David Mowbray b.1938
Tune: St Bees CH3 51 J.B.Dykes 1823-1876
The Gospel St John 15 1-8
The Sermon
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church;
The Communion of Saints;
The Forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
The Offering
The Intercessions
Gloria in Excelsis sung by the choir
Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, goodwill towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Missa brevis Helen Grime
Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give our thanks and praise
Prayer
Sanctus
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of Hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Glory be to you, O Lord Most High.
Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord:
Hosanna in the highest.
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.
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world,
Grant us your peace.
Holy Communion
During Communion the Choir sings
Tantum ergo sacramentum
Therefore we before him bending,
This great sacrament revere:
Types and shadows have their ending,
For the newer rite is here;
Faith, our outward sense befriending,
Makes the inward vision clear.
Glory let us give and blessing
To the Father and the Son,
Honour, might and praise addressing,
While eternal ages run;
Ever too his love confessing,
Who, from both, with both is one.
Amen
Text: St Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274
Music: Maurice Duruflé 1902-1986
Prayer
Hymn
Word of the Father, the life of creation,
emptied of glory, among us you came;
born as a servant, assuming our weakness,
drank from the cup of our joy and our shame.
Each human child bears your image and likeness,
yet all are heirs to the sins of our earth;
once from death's flood you arose to redeem us,
water and Spirit now seal our rebirth.
Searching, you found us before we could name you,
loving, you suffered our pain and our loss;
strengthen this child through the faith of your people,
born in the glory which streams from the Cross.
Text: Colin Peter Thompson b.1945
Music: Was lebet, was schwebet CH4 634 Melody from the Rheinhardt M.S. Üttingen 1754
Benediction
Organ Voluntary
Johann Froberger Ricercare IV
CCL Licence No 980930
Streaming Licence 57837
The service was conducted by The Rev Sam Nwokoro