Organ Music

Thomas Tomkins Voluntary
George Baker Prière Grégorienne

Introit

Fear not, I am the first and the last

Fear not, I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth, and was dead;
and behold I am alive for evermore

Text: Revelation 1 17-18
Music: Gwilym Beechey 1938-2015

Processional Hymn

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish, but naught changeth thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight.
All praise we would render: O help us to see
'tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

Text: Walter Chalmers Smith 1824-1908
Music: St Denio CH4 132 Welsh hymn melody, 1839 Founded on a folk tune

Scripture Sentences

The Preces
O Lord open thou our lips

Kenneth Leighton 1929-1988

Bidding

Prayer

Collect

God of creation, you have made us, you nurture us in your care, and you offer to sustain us again and again with your love. Show us how to love our neighbours and ourselves, and teach us to delight in your wisdom, that we will know the way of gratitude and thanksgiving. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

First Lesson    Deuteronomy 34 1-12

The Choir sings Psalm 90 1-6, 13-17

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Second Lesson       St Matthew 22 15-22 34-46
Read by Cllr Robert Aldridge
The Rt Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh

Hymn

Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire,
let us thine influence prove;
source of the old prophetic fire,
fountain of life and love.

Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee
the prophets wrote and spoke;
unlock the truth, thyself the key,
unseal the sacred book.

Expand thy wings, celestial dove,
brood o'er our nature's night;
on our disordered spirits move,
and let there now be light.

God through himself we then shall know,
if thou within us shine;
and sound, with all thy saints below,
the depths of love divine.

Text: Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Music: St Columba (Erin) CH4 598 Irish traditional

The Sermon

The Anthem

Valiant for truth

After this it was noised abroad,
That Mister Valiant-for-Truth was taken with a summons;
and had this for a token that the summons was true,
‘That a pitcher was broken at the fountain.’
When he understood it, he called for his friends and told them of it.
Then, said he, ‘I am going to my Father’s and though with great difficulty,
I am got hither, yet now I not repent me of all the trouble
I have been at to arrive where I am.
My sword, I shall give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage,
and my courage and skill, to him that can get it.
My marks and scars I carry with me,
to be a witness for me,
that I have fought his battles, who now will be my rewarder.’
When the day that he must go hence, was come,
many accompanied him to the riverside, into which, as he went,
he said, ‘Death, where is thy sting?’
And he went down deeper, he said, ‘Grave, where is thy victory?’
So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.

The Pilgrim's Progress John Bunyan 1628-1688
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

Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation,
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation,
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Text: Charles Wesley 1707-88
Tune: Blaenwern CH4 468 William Penfro Rowlands 1860-1937

Benediction

Organ Voluntary

Petr Eben Moto ostinato