St. Giles’ Cathedral
Morning Service at 11am
All Saints
3rd November 2024
Organ Music
J.S.Bach Fantasia in C BWV 570
Josef Rheinberger Intermezzo and Vision Op 156
Introit
Heilig
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.
Music: Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847
Processional Hymn
Behold what witnesses unseen
Encompass us around;
Men, once like us, with suffering tried,
But now with glory crowned.
Let us, with zeal like theirs inspired,
Begin the Christian race,
And, freed from each encumbering weight,
Their holy footsteps trace.
Behold a witness nobler still,
Who trod affliction's path,
Jesus, at once the finisher
And author of our faith.
He for the joy before him set,
So generous was his love,
Endured the cross, despised the shame,
And now he reigns above.
Then let our hearts no more despond,
Our hands be weak no more;
Still let us trust our Father's love,
His wisdom still adore.
Text: Scottish Paraphrases 1781 from Hebrews 12
Music: Wetherby CH4 743 S.S.Wesley 1810-76
Scripture Sentences
The Preces
O Lord open thou our lips
William Byrd c.1540-1623
Bidding
Prayer
Collect
Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son. Give us grace to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those inexpressible joys which you have prepared for those who perfectly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
First Lesson Isaiah 25 6-9
The Choir sings PSALM 33
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Second Lesson St John 11 32-44
Hymn
Our Lord Christ hath risen! The tempter is foiled;
his legions are scattered, his strong-holds are spoiled.
Oh, sing hallelujah, oh, sing hallelujah,
oh, sing hallelujah! Be joyful and sing,
our great foe is baffled-Christ Jesus is King!
O death, we defy thee! A stronger than thou
hath entered thy palace; we fear thee not now!
Oh, sing hallelujah, oh, sing hallelujah,
oh, sing hallelujah! Be joyful and sing,
death cannot affright us-Christ Jesus is King!
O sin, thou art vanquished, thy long reign is o'er;
though still thou dost vex us, we dread thee no more.
Oh, sing hallelujah, oh, sing hallelujah,
oh, sing hallelujah! Be joyful and sing,
who now can condemn us? Christ Jesus is King!
Our Lord Christ hath risen! Day breaketh at last;
the long night of weeping is now wellnigh past.
Oh, sing hallelujah, oh, sing hallelujah,
oh, sing hallelujah! Be joyful and sing,
our foes are all conquered-Christ Jesus is King!
Text: William Conyngham Plunket 1828-1897
Tune: Kirn CH4 421 John Prentice Taylor 1871-1936
Sermon
Anthem
Faire is the heaven
Faire is the heaven where happy soules have place
In full enjoyment of felicitie;
Whence they do still behold the glorious face
Of the Divine, Eternall Majestie;
Yet farre more faire be those bright Cherubins
Which all with golden wings are overdight.
And those eternall burning Seraphins
Which from their faces dart out fiery light;
Yet fairer than they both and much more bright
Be the Angels and Archangels
Which attend on God's owne person without rest or end.
These then in faire each other farre excelling
As to the Highest they approach more neare,
Yet is that Highest farre beyond all telling
Fairer than all the rest which there appeare
Though all their beauties joynd together were;
How then can mortal tongue hope to expresse
The image of such endlesse perfectnesse?
Text: Edmund Spenser 1552-1599
Music: William Harris 1883-1973
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
Through saints we glimpse the light of Christ,
the Morning Star that crowns the night,
whose rising heralds God's new day,
the promised dawn of life and light.
The light saints bear is not their own
but shines through them as gift and sign:
to show how God can use and bless
frail human means for ends divine.
That light is ours to claim and share;
not merely praise or gaze upon:
for all who are baptized become
light-bearers through the Risen One.
The saints inspire and challenge us
our holy calling to embrace;
to bear Christ's light in our own day,
to be the vessels of God's grace.
Text: Carl P Daw Jr b.1944
Music: Wareham CH4 748 Melody by William Knapp 1698-1768
Benediction
Organ Voluntary
William Harris Flourish for an Occasion
CCL Licence No 980930
Streaming Licence 57837
The service was conducted by The Rev. Dr Anne T. Logan