St. Giles’ Cathedral 

Morning Service at 9.30am 

Easter Day 

 
Sunday 31st March 2024 

Organ Music 

Herbert Howells Sarabande for the morning of Easter 

C.V.Stanford At Eastertide 

Introit 

Christ the Lord is risen today 

Christ the Lord is ris’n today. Alleluia! 

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! 

Raise your joys and triumphs high, 

Sing, ye heav’ns and earth reply, Alleluia! 

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia! 

Christ has burst the gates of hell, Alleluia! 

Death in vain forbids his rise, 

Christ has opened paradise! Alleluia! 

Hail, the Lord of earth and heav’n! Alleluia! 

Praise to thee by both be giv’n, Alleluia! 

Thee we greet triumphant now, 

Hail, the Resurrection, Thou! Alleluia! 

Text: Charles Wesley 1707-1788 

Music: Noel de Jongh b.1930 

Minister: The Lord is risen! 

All: He is risen indeed! Alleluia! 

Minister: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; 

All: Let us celebrate the feast! Alleluia! 

Processional Hymn 

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! 

our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! 

who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia! 

suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia! 

Hymns of praise then let us sing 

unto Christ, our heavenly King, 

who endured the Cross and grave, 

sinners to redeem and save. 

But the anguish he endured 

our salvation has procured; 

now in heaven Christ is King, 

where the angels ever sing. 

Sing we to our God above 

praise eternal as his love; 

praise him, all you heavenly host, 

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Text: Lyra Davidica 1708 

Music: Easter Hymn CH4 410 Melody from Lyra Davidica 1708 

Call to Prayer 

Prayer 

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. 

Spatzenmesse W.A.Mozart 

First Lesson Acts 10  34-43 

Hymn 

The Saviour died, but rose again 

triumphant from the grave; 

and pleads our cause at God's right hand, 

omnipotent to save. 

Who then can e'er divide us more 

from Jesus and his love, 

or break the sacred chain that binds 

the earth to heaven above? 

Let troubles rise, and terrors frown, 

and days of darkness fall; 

through him all dangers we'll defy, 

and more than conquer all. 

Nor death nor life, nor earth nor hell, 

nor time's destroying sway, 

can e'er efface us from his heart, 

or make his love decay. 

Each future period that will bless, 

as it has blessed the past; 

he loved us from the first of time, 

he loves us to the last. 

Text: Scottish Paraphrases 1781 From Romans 8: 34-end 

Music: St Andrew CH4 425 Melody from Tans’ur’s New Harmony of Zion 1764 

The Gospel St Mark 16  1-8 

The Sermon 

The Nicene Creed 

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, 

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. 

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, 

eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. 

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, 

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. 

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. 

Amen. 

The Offering 

The Intercessions 

Hymn 

Ye gates lift up your heads on high; 
ye doors that last for ay 
be lifted up, that so the King 
of glory enter may! 
But who of glory is the King? 
The mighty Lord is this, 
ev'n that same Lord, that great in might 
and strong in battle is. 
 

Ye gates, lift up your heads; ye doors, 
doors that do last for aye 
be lifted up, that so the King 
of glory enter may! 
But who is he that is the King 
of glory? who is this? 
The Lord of hosts, and none but he, 
the King of glory is. 

Text: Scottish Psalter 1929 Psalm 24 vv7-10 

Music: St George’s (Edinburgh) CH4 19 Andrew Mitchell Thomson 1778-1831 

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 sung by the choir 

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.  

Spatzenmesse W.A.Mozart 

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 

Magdalen cease from sobs and sighs 

Magdalen cease from sobs and sighs; 

Wipe the tear-drops from off thine eyes: 

Simon the leper’s feast is o’er; 

Christ today needs thy nard no more. 

Now thousand time may’st thou rejoice; 

Now thousand times uplift thy voice. 

Magdalen, bind upon thee now 

Garland of gladness o’er thy brow: 

Banish’d afar is grief and pain: 

Welcome is sunshine after rain. 

For Jesus Christ the world hath freed, 

Triumphing over Death indeed. 

Text: From Pone luctum, Magdalena, tr. G.R.Woodward 

Music: Melody of Nicht ruhen Magdalena kundt arr. Peter Hurford 1930-2019 

The Peace 

Prayer 

Hymn 

The day of resurrection, 

Earth, tell it out abroad! 

the passover of gladness, 

the passover of God! 

From death to life eternal, 

from sin’s dominion free, 

our Christ has brought us over 

with hymns of victory. 

Our hearts be pure from evil, 

that we may see aright 

the Lord in rays eternal 

of resurrection light; 

and, listening to his accents, 

may hear, so calm and plain, 

his own 'All hail!' and, hearing 

may raise the victor strain. 

Now let the heavens be joyful, 

and earth her song begin, 

the round world keep high triumph 

and all that is therein; 

let all things seen and unseen 

their notes of gladness blend, 

for Christ the Lord has risen, 

our Joy that has no end. 

Text: St John of Damascus d.c750 Tr J.M.Neale 1818-66 

Tune: Ellacombe CH4 413 18th Cent. German melody 

Benediction 

Organ Voluntary 

Henri Mulet Carillon-Sortie 

CCL Licence No 980930 

 Streaming Licence 57837 

The service was conducted by The Rev Dr George J Whyte