St. Giles’ Cathedral

Morning Service at 11am

2nd Sunday after Easter

Edinburgh Science Festival Service

Sunday 14th April 2024

Organ Music

William Harris Fantasy on Easter Hymn

Joseph Jongen Prélude élégiaque

Felix-Alexandre Guilmant Lamento

Introit

Let the people praise thee, O God

yea, let all the people praise thee.

O let the nations rejoice and be glad:
for thou shalt judge the folk righteously,
and govern the nations upon earth.

Text: Psalm 67 3-5

Music: Noel de Jongh b.1930

Processional Hymn

Let all creation dance
in energies sublime,
as order turns with chance,
unfolding space and time,
for nature's art
in glory grows,
and newly shows
God's mind and heart.

Our own amazing earth,
with sunlight, cloud and storms
and life's abundant growth
in lovely shapes and forms,
is made for praise,
a fragile whole,
and from its soul
heaven's music plays.

Lift heart and soul and voice:
in Christ all praises meet
and nature shall rejoice
as all is made complete.
In hope be strong.
all life befriend
and kindly tend
creation's song.

Text: Brian Wren (b.1936)

Music: St John CH4 149 Perhaps by W.H.Havergal 1793-1870

Scripture Sentences

The Preces

O Lord open thou our lips

Humphrey Clucas b.1941

Bidding

Prayer

Collect

Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt, may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

First Lesson Isaiah 58 6-10

The Choir sings PSALM 77 vv 11-20

I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.

I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.

Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Second Lesson St Matthew 5 1-11

Hymn

Lord, bring the day to pass

when forest, rock, and hill,

the beasts, the birds, the grass,

will know your finished will:

when we attain our destiny

and nature lives in harmony.

Forgive our careless use

of water, ore, and soil –

the plenty we abuse

supplied by others’ toil:

save us from making self our creed,

turn us towards each other’s need.

Help us, when we release

creation’s secret powers,

to harness them for peace,

our children’s peace and ours:

teach us the art of mastering

in servant form, like Christ our King.

Creation groans, travails,

futile its present plight,

bound – till the hour it hails

God’s children born of light:

that we may gain our true estate,

come, Lord, new heavens and earth create.

Text: Ian Masson Fraser 1917-2018

Music: Love unknown CH4 238 John Ireland 1879-1962

Address

Professor Linda Bauld

Bruce and John Usher Chair in Public Health, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh

Anthem

Antiphon

Let all the world in every corner sing:

My God and King!

The heavens are not too high,

His praise may thither fly;

The earth is not too low,

His praises there may grow.

Let all the world in every corner sing:

My God and King!

Let all the world in every corner sing:

My God and King!

The church with psalms must shout,

No door can keep them out;

But above all, the heart

Must bear the longest part.

Let all the world in every corner sing:

My God and King!

Text: George Herbert 1593-1633

Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams 1872-1958

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

God in such love for us lent us this planet,

gave it a purpose in time and in space:

small as a spark from the fire of creation,

cradle of life and the home of our race.

Thanks be to God for its bounty and beauty,

life that sustains us in body and mind:

plenty for all, if we learn how to share it,

riches undreamed of to fathom and find.

Long have our human wars ruined its harvest;

long has earth bowed to the terror of force;

long have we wasted what others have need of,

poisoned the fountain of life at its source.

Earth is the Lord’s: it is ours to enjoy it,

ours, as God’s stewards, to farm and defend.

From its pollution, misuse, and destruction,

good Lord deliver us, world without end!

Text: Frederick Pratt Green 1903-2000

Tune: Epiphany CH4 240 Joseph Francis Thrupp 1827-1867

Benediction

Organ Voluntary

Percy Fletcher Festival Toccata

CCL Licence No 980930

Streaming Licence 57837

The service was conducted by The Rev Dr George J Whyte