St. Giles’ Cathedral
Morning Service at 11am
5th Sunday in Lent
Sunday 17th March 2024
Organ Music
Johannes Brahms O Welt, ich muss dich lassen
J.S.Bach Erbarm dich mein, o herre Gott BWV 721
Introit
Hear my prayer O Lord
Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and let my crying come unto thee.
Text: Psalm 102: 1
Music: Henry Purcell 1659-1695
Processional Hymn
All my hope on God is founded;
all my trust he will renew.
safe through change and chance he guides me,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Human pride and earthly glory,
sword and crown betray God’s trust;
though with care and toil we build them,
tower and temple fall to dust.
But God's power,
hour by hour,
is my temple and my tower.
God's great goodness lasts for ever,
deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
beauty springing out of naught.
Evermore,
from his store
new-born worlds rise and adore.
Day by day the mighty Giver
Showers gifts on us below;
his desire our souls delight in,
pleasure leads us where we go.
See love stand
at his hand;
joy awaits at his command!
Still from earth to God in heaven
sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
for the gift of Christ his Son.
Hear Christ call
one and all:
those who follow shall not fall.
Text: Robert Bridges 1844-1930 based on Joachim Neander 1650-1680
Music: Michael CH4 192 Herbert Howells 1892-1983
Scripture Sentences
The Preces
O Lord open thou our lips
Heathcote Statham 1889-1973
Bidding
Prayer
Collect
Holy God, by the cross and resurrection of Jesus you lift the suffering world toward hope and transformation and open the way to salvation. As we move ever closer to the passion of Christ, may your covenant of love be written on our hearts, as Christ draws all people to himself, revealing your love for the world. Amen
First Lesson Jeremiah 31 31-34
The Choir sings PSALM 51 1-12
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Second Lesson St John 12 20-33
Hymn
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
Save in the death of Christ my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See! from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down:
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Text: Isaac Watts 1674-1748
Music: Rockingham CH4 392 Adapted by Edward Miller 1731-1807
Sermon
Anthem
It is a thing most wonderful
It is a thing most wonderful,
almost too wonderful to be,
that God's own Son should come from heaven,
and die to save a child like me.
And yet I know that it is true:
he chose a poor and humble lot,
and wept, and toiled, and mourned, and died,
for love of those who loved him not.
I cannot tell how he would love
a child so weak and full of sin;
his love must be most wonderful,
if he could die my love to win.
I sometimes think about the cross,
and shut my eyes, and try to see
the cruel nails and crown of thorns
and Jesus crucified for me.
But even could I see him die,
I could but see a little part
of that great love, which, like a fire,
is always burning in his heart.
It is most wonderful to know
his love for me so free and sure;
but 'tis more wonderful to see
my love for him so faint and poor.
And yet I want to love thee, Lord;
O light the flame within my heart,
and I will love thee more and more,
until I see thee as thou art.
Text: William Walsham How 1823-1897
Music: Philip Moore b.1943
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 have a gospel to proclaim,
good news for all throughout the earth;
the gospel of a Saviour's name:
we sing his glory, tell his worth.
Tell of his birth at Bethlehem
not in a royal house or hall
but in a stable dark and dim,
the Word made flesh, a light for all.
Tell of his death at Calvary,
hated by those he came to save,
in lonely suffering on the Cross;
for all he loved his life he gave.
Tell of that glorious Easter morn:
empty the tomb, for he was free.
He broke the power of death and hell
that we might share his victory.
Tell of his reign at God's right hand,
by all creation glorified.
He sends his Spirit on his Church
to live for him, the Lamb who died.
Now we rejoice to name him King:
Jesus is Lord of all the earth.
This gospel-message we proclaim:
we sing his glory, tell his worth.
Text: Edward Joseph Burns b.1938
Tune: Walton (Fulda) CH4 363 Sacred Melodies 1815 William Gardiner 1770-1853
Benediction
Organ Voluntary
Hendrik Andriessen Thema met Variates
CCL Licence No 980930
Streaming Licence 57837
The service was conducted by The Rev Sigrid Marten