St. Giles’ Cathedral
Morning Service at 9.30am
3rd Sunday in Lent
Sunday 3rd March 2024
Organ Music
Louis Vierne Arabesque
Johannes Brahms Herzlich tut mich verlangen
Introit
O Lord, increase my faith
O Lord, increase my faith
strengthen me
and confirm me in thy true faith,
endue me with wisdom,
charity, chastity and patience
in all my adversity.
Sweet Jesus, say Amen.
Text: from Luke 17 5
Music: Orlando Gibbons 1583-1625
Processional Hymn
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
here would I touch and handle things unseen,
here grasp with firmer hand the eternal grace,
and all my weariness upon thee lean.
Mine is the sin, but thine the righteousness;
mine is the guilt, but thine the cleansing blood;
here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace-
thy blood, thy righteousness, O Lord, my God.
Here would I feed upon the bread of God,
here drink with thee the royal wine of heaven;
here would I lay aside each earthly load,
here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.
This is the hour of banquet and of song;
this is the heavenly table spread for me;
here let me feast, and, feasting, still prolong
this hallowed hour of fellowship with thee.
Text: Horatius N. Bonar 1808-1889
Music: Magda CH4 610 R.V.Williams 1872-1958
Invitation
Confession
We confess our sins to you, Father, Son, and Spirit holy. Compassionate God of life, your kindly pardon give: for our careless talk, our broken oath, our empty speech; for all that we have left undone; for all that we have done amiss.
Kyrie Eleison sung by the Choir
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Missa bel amfitrit altera Orlando Lassus
Declaration of forgiveness
Gloria patri sung by the choir (Tone i.viii)
First Lesson 1 Corinthians 1 18-25
Metrical Psalm
The stars declare his glory;
the vault of heaven springs
mute witness of the Master's hand
in all created things,
and through the silences of space
their soundless music sings.
The dawn returns in splendour,
the heavens burn and blaze,
the rising sun renews the race
that measures all our days,
and writes in fire across the skies
God's majesty and praise.
So shine the Lord's commandments
to make the simple wise;
more sweet than honey to the taste,
more rich than any prize,
a law of love within our hearts,
a light before our eyes.
So order too this life of mine,
direct it all my days;
the meditations of my heart
be innocence and praise,
my Rock, and my redeeming Lord,
in all my words and ways.
Text: Based on Psalm 19 Timothy Dudley-Smith b.1926
Music: Gibson CH4 10 Patrick Wedd b.1948
The Gospel St John 2 13-22
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 bel amfitrit altera Orlando Lassus
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
Agnus Dei
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world, grant us your peace.
Music: Orlando Lassus 1532-1594
Prayer
Hymn
We sing the praise of him who died,
of him who died upon the cross;
the sinner's hope though all deride,
for this we count the world but loss.
Inscribed upon the cross we see
in shining letters, 'God is love;'
he bears our sins upon the tree;
he brings us mercy from above.
The cross! it takes our guilt away:
it holds the fainting spirit up;
it cheers with hope the gloomy day,
and sweetens every bitter cup.
It makes the coward spirit brave,
and nerves the feeble arm for fight;
it takes its terror from the grave,
and gilds the bed of death with light:
The balm of life, the cure of woe,
the measure and the pledge of love,
the sinner's refuge here below,
the angels' theme in heaven above.
Text: Thomas Kelly 1769-1855
Music: Walton (Fulda) CH4 405 Sacred Melodies 1815 William Gardiner 1770-1853
Benediction
Organ Voluntary
Franz Tunder Praeludium in G minor
CCL Licence No 980930
Streaming Licence 57837
The service was conducted by The Rev Dr George J Whyte