Ash Wednesday

    

"Yes--deep within and deeper yet
The rankling shaft of conscience hide,
Quick let the swelling eye forget
The tears that in the heart abide.
Calm be the voice, the aspect bold,
No shuddering pass o'er lip or brow,
For why should Innocence be told
The pangs that guilty spirits bow?

"The loving eye that watches thine
Close as the air that wraps thee round -
Why in thy sorrow should it pine,
Since never of thy sin it found?
And wherefore should the heathen see
What chains of darkness thee enslave,
And mocking say, 'Lo, this is he
Who owned a God that could not save'?"

Thus oft the mourner's wayward heart
Tempts him to hide his grief and die,
Too feeble for Confession's smart,
Too proud to bear a pitying eye;
How sweet, in that dark hour, to fall
On bosoms waiting to receive
Our sighs, and gently whisper all!
They love us--will not God forgive?

Else let us keep our fast within,
Till Heaven and we are quite alone,
Then let the grief, the shame, the sin,
Before the mercy-seat be thrown.
Between the porch and altar weep,
Unworthy of the holiest place,
Yet hoping near the shrine to keep
One lowly cell in sight of grace.

Nor fear lest sympathy should fail -
Hast thou not seen, in night hours drear,
When racking thoughts the heart assail,
The glimmering stars by turns appear,
And from the eternal house above
With silent news of mercy steal?
So Angels pause on tasks of love,
To look where sorrowing sinners kneel.

Or if no Angel pass that way,
He who in secret sees, perchance
May bid His own heart-warming ray
Toward thee stream with kindlier glance,
As when upon His drooping head
His Father's light was poured from Heaven,
What time, unsheltered and unfed,
Far in the wild His steps were driven.

High thoughts were with Him in that hour,
Untold, unspeakable on earth -
And who can stay the soaring power
Of spirits weaned from worldly mirth,
While far beyond the sound of praise
With upward eye they float serene,
And learn to bear their Saviour's blaze
When Judgment shall undraw the screen?


-- John Keble (1792-1866), Anglican priest, poet, and one of the leaders of the Oxford movement.

Prayers of Commendation from the Church of England

O God, who brought us to birth,
and in whose arms we die,
in our grief and shock contain and comfort us;
embrace us with your love,
give us hope in our confusion
and grace to let go into new life;
through Jesus Christ.
All Amen.

These or other prayers may follow

Lord, we come into your presence to remember N
and to seek your comfort,
for we know that nothing can separate us from your love
and that you support us in our sorrow.
We are sure that the souls of the righteous are with you
and that nothing can harm them.
Although they have died they are in peace.
Give us your strength to rejoice
that you have taken N to be with yourself
where he/she shall no more be in need.
May we find life and peace and perfect joy with him/her in your presence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All Amen.

God of all consolation,
in your unending love and mercy
you turn the darkness of death
into the dawn of new life.
Your Son, by dying for us, conquered death
and, by rising again, restored to us eternal life.
May we then go forward eagerly to meet our redeemer
and, after our life on earth,
be reunited with all our brothers and sisters
in that place where every tear is wiped away
and all things are made new;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
All Amen.

Lord, be with us as we open the door.
Come in with us, go out with us.
Do not sleep when we sleep,
but watch over us, protect us and keep us safe,
our only helper and maker.
All Amen.

To the Queen, by the prayers

As the dial hand tells o'er

The same hours it had before,

Still beginning in the ending,
Circular account still lending,

So, most mighty Queen we pray,
Like the dial day by day

You may lead the seasons on,
Making new when old are gone,

That the babe which now is young
And hath yet no use of tongue

Many a Shrovetide here may bow
To that empress I do now,

That the children of these lords,
Sitting at your council boards,

May be grave and aged seen
Of her that was their fathers' queen.

Once I wish this wish again,
Heaven subscribe it with "Amen."

-- attributed to William Shakespeare (1564-1616) discovered in 1972 in a notebook belonging to Elizabeth I's servant Henry Stanford.

Today Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96.

Prayers of the People for Trinity Sunday

We come boldly to the throne of grace,
praying to the almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
for mercy and grace.
We plead before your throne in heaven.
Father of heaven, whose love profound
a ransom for our souls has found:
We pray for the world, created by your love,
for its nations and governments …
Extend to them your peace, pardoning love, mercy and grace.
We plead before your throne in heaven.

Almighty Son, incarnate Word,
our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord:
We pray for the Church, created for your glory,
for its ministry to reflect those works of yours …
Extend to us your salvation, growth, mercy and grace.
We plead before your throne in heaven.

Eternal Spirit, by whose breath
the soul is raised from sin and death:
We pray for families and individuals, created in your image,
for the lonely, the bereaved, the sick and the dying …
Breathe on them the breath of life
and bring them to your mercy and grace.
We plead before your throne in heaven.

Thrice holy! Father, Spirit, Son,
Mysterious Godhead, Three in One:
We pray for ourselves,
for your Church, for all whom we remember before you …

Bring us all to bow before your throne in heaven,
to receive life and pardon, mercy and grace for all eternity,
as we worship you, saying,
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Amen.

-- from the Church of England

A Song of Christ the Servant

(based on 1 Peter 2.21b–25)

1 Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, ♦

    that you should follow in his steps.
2 He committed no sin, no guile was found on his lips, ♦
    when he was reviled, he did not revile in turn.
3 When he suffered, he did not threaten, ♦
    but he trusted himself to God who judges justly.
4 Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, ♦
    that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
5 By his wounds, you have been healed,
for you were straying like sheep, ♦
    but have now returned
    to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

--from the Church of England

A Song of Humility

(based on Hosea 6.1–6)

1 Come, let us return to the Lord ♦
    who has torn us and will heal us.
2 God has stricken us ♦
    and will bind up our wounds.
3 After two days, he will revive us, ♦
    and on the third day will raise us up,
    that we may live in his presence.
4 Let us strive to know the Lord; ♦
    his appearing is as sure as the sunrise.
5 He will come to us like the showers, ♦
    like the spring rains that water the earth.
6 ‘O Ephraim, how shall I deal with you? ♦
    How shall I deal with you, O Judah?
7 ‘Your love for me is like the morning mist, ♦
    like the dew that goes early away.
8 ‘Therefore, I have hewn them by the prophets, ♦
    and my judgement goes forth as the light.
9 ‘For loyalty is my desire and not sacrifice, ♦
    and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.’

-- From the Church of England

Offertory Sentences for Epiphany Season

Gracious God,
accept the offering of your Church,
the hearts of your people
joined in praise and thanksgiving,
in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
Amen.


Lord, accept your people’s gifts,
not gold, frankincense or myrrh,
but hearts and voices raised in praise
of Jesus Christ, our light and our salvation.
Amen.



Baptism of Christ

Open the heavens, Holy Spirit,
for us to see Jesus interceding for us;
may we be willing to share his baptism,
ready to share his cup
and strengthened to serve him for ever.
Amen.


Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Father, in Christ there has sprung up a light for the righteous;
accept the offering of your Church
and grant that Christ may shine in us
to the praise and glory of your name.
Amen.

-- from the Church of England

Benedictions for Epiphany Season

Christ the Son of God perfect in you the image of his glory
and gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom;
and the blessing …


Christ our Lord,
to whom kings bowed down in worship and offered gifts,
reveal to you his glory
and pour upon you the riches of his grace;
and the blessing …


May God the Father,
who led the wise men by the shining of a star
to find the Christ, the Light from light,
lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord.
Amen.
May God the Son,
who turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana,
transform your lives and make glad your hearts.
Amen.
May God the Holy Spirit,
who came upon the beloved Son
at his baptism in the river Jordan,
pour out his gifts on you
who have come to the waters of new birth.
Amen.
And the blessing …


May God the Father,
who led the wise men by the shining of a star
to find the Christ, the Light from light,
lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord.
Amen.
May God, who has delivered us from the dominion of darkness,
give us a place with the saints in light
in the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Amen.
May the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
shine in your hearts and fill your lives
with his joy and peace.
Amen.
And the blessing …

Baptism of Christ

May God, who in Christ gives us a spring of water
welling up to eternal life,
perfect in you the image of his glory;
and the blessing …


Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, who was wounded for our sins,
that you may bear in your life the love and joy and peace
which are the marks of Jesus in his disciples;
and the blessing …


Christ the Son of God, born of Mary,
fill you with his grace to trust his promises and obey his will;
and the blessing …

-- from the Church of England