St. Giles’ Cathedral
Morning Service at 9.30am
Epiphany Sunday
Sunday 14th January 2024
Organ Music
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Trio – Flûtes – Récit de nazard
Introit
O taste and see
O taste and see how gracious the Lord is:
blest is the man that trusteth in him.
Text: Text: Psalm 34 8
Music: Martin How 1931-2022
Processional Hymn
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
bow down before Him, his glory proclaim;
gold of obedience and incense of lowliness
bring, and adore Him; the Lord is his name!
Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
high on his heart he will bear it for thee,
comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.
Fear not to enter his courts, in the slenderness
of the poor wealth thou canst reckon as thine;
truth in its beauty and love in its tenderness,
these are the offerings to lay on his shrine.
These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
he will accept for the Name that is dear;
mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
trust for our trembling, and hope for our fear.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
gold of obedience and incense of lowliness
bring, and adore Him; the Lord is His name!
Text: John Samuel Bewley Monsell 1811-1875
Music: Moredun CH4 201 Henry Smart 1813-1879
Invitation
Confession
Eternal God, our Maker and Redeemer, we have sinned against you and one another, in thought, word and deed. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Kyrie Eleison sung by the Choir
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Missa brevis R.R.Bennett
Declaration of forgiveness
Gloria patri sung by the choir (Tone i.viii)
First Lesson Romans 12 1-13
Metrical Psalm
You are before me, God, you are behind,
and over me you have spread out your hand;
such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too high to grasp, too great to understand.
Then from your Spirit where, God, shall I go,
and from your presence where, God, shall I flee?
If I ascend to heaven you are there,
and still are with me, if in hell I lie.
If I should take my flight into the dawn,
if I should dwell on ocean’s farthest shore,
your mighty hand will rest upon me still,
and your right hand will guard me evermore.
If I should say ‘Let darkness cover me,
and I shall hide within the veil of night’,
surely the darkness is not dark to you,
the night is as the day, the darkness light.
Search me, O God, search me and know my heart,
try me, O God, my mind and spirit try;
keep me from any path that gives you pain,
and lead me in the everlasting way.
Text: Ian Pitt-Watson 1923-1995 From Psalm 139
Music: Sursum Corda CH4 96 Alfred Morton Smith 1879-1971
The Gospel St Matthew 2 1-12
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 Andrea Gabrieli
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
The wise men and the star
Sovereign scholars, weary of waiting
startled by starlight that kindles the sky.
Eager for answers, destiny drives them,
watching with wonder, they follow the star.
Passing by palaces, greedy and golden,
threading the byways of winter and cold,
come to a doorway, low-built and lamplit
eagerly enter under the star.
Source of all starlight, simply they see him,
laid in a manger and haloed with hay.
Bright in his beauty, shrouded with shadows,
Steady the star shines. Follow the star.
Text: Lucia Quinault
Music: Oliver Tarney b.1984
Prayer
Hymn
For me to live is Christ:
with him new life begins;
his loving touch renews my mind
and takes away my sins.
For me to live is Christ:
from him true living springs;
he comes, and with his radiant love
transforms all common things.
For me to live is Christ:
to serve is now my aim;
to help wherever there is need,
and care in Jesus' name.
For me to live is Christ:
for him my life I'll spend;
my strength, my aim, my hope, my Lord,
from now till my life's end
Text: Peter Henry Kelway Tongeman 1929-1990
Music: St Michael CH4 643 Derived from melody for Psalm 101 in French-Genevan Psalter 1551
Benediction
Organ Voluntary
J.S.Bach In dir ist Freude BWV 615
CCL Licence No 980930
Streaming Licence 57837
The service was conducted by The Rev Sigrid Marten