This week, 29 January, there is a special joint benefice service of Holy Communion for Candlemas at 10am at St Bartholomew, Burstow. (There are no services at Horne or Outwood today) And as always, there is an online service here, too, which this week is led by the Revd Nicholas Calver, with a talk by the Revd Dr Tony Rich, on his last Sunday in the benefice
To follow today’s online service just click on the arrow here and find the words below.
You may like to have a candle by you to light later in the service.
A hymn is sung
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 grace 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!
Dear friends in Christ, forty days ago we celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we recall the day on which he was presented in the Temple, when he was offered to the Father and shown to his people.
Let us pray:
The Collect for the Feast of Candlemas
Almighty and ever-living God, clothed in majesty, whose beloved Son was this day presented in the Temple, in substance of our flesh: grant that we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts, by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The readings
by Julie Mohacek
The first reading is Malachi 3: 1-5
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, O Lord.
The Gospel reading is Luke 2: 22-40
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Talk
by Revd Dr Tony Rich
The Prayers
Let us pray to the Father through Christ who is our light and life.
Father, your Christ is acclaimed as the glory of Israel:
look in mercy on your Church, sharing his light.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
Father, your Christ in his temple brings judgement on the world:
look in mercy on the nations, who long for his justice.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
Father, your Christ, who was rich, for our sakes became poor:
look in mercy on the needy, suffering with him.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
Father, your Christ is the one in whom faithful servants find their peace:
look in mercy on the departed, that they may see your salvation.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
Father, your Christ is revealed as the one destined to be rejected:
look in mercy on us who now turn towards his passion.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna,
and showed them the infant King. Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises,
and the patience to wait for their fulfilment;
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
And now, let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on 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.
Amen.
In church the congregation’s candles are now lit from the crib.
If you have a candle by you, light it now.
God our Father, Source of all light,
At Christmas we celebrated the birth of Jesus, the light of the world.
Today you revealed to Simeon your light of revelation to the nations.
As we light these candles, may they be a sign to us of that light,
that we may bring your light to others
and walk in the light of your presence
throughout the coming year,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading
‘Christmas Carol’ (GA Studdert-Kennedy)
Father, here we bring to an end our celebration
of the Saviour’s birth.
Help us, in whom he has been born,
to live his life that has no end.
Here we have offered the Church’s sacrifice of praise.
Help us, who have received the bread of life,
to be thankful for your gift.
Here we have rejoiced with faithful Simeon and Anna.
Help us, who have found the Lord in his temple,
to trust in your eternal promises.
Here we have greeted the Light of the world.
Help us, who now extinguish these candles,
never to forsake the light of Christ.
All now extinguish their candles
The anthem is a setting of the Nunc Dimittis
It was written specially for the choirs of the Windmill United Benefice by Roger Hind and recorded by them before its first performance at Candlemas in 2019
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace:
according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles:
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son:
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end. Amen.
In church the congregation now turns from the crib to face the font, a sign that we are turning from Christmas and looking towards Lent and Easter
Here we now stand near the place of baptism.
Help us, who are marked with the cross,
to share the Lord’s death and resurrection.
Here we turn from Christ’s birth to his passion.
Help us, for whom Lent is near,
to enter deeply into the Easter mystery.
Here we bless one another in your name.
Help us, who now go in peace,
to shine with your light in the world.
Thanks be to God!
Amen.
A hymn is sung
Faithful vigil ended,
Watching, waiting cease;
Master, grant thy servant
His discharge in peace.
All thy Spirit promised,
All the Father willed;
Now these eyes behold it
Perfectly fulfilled.
This thy great deliv’rance
Sets thy people free;
Christ, their light, uplifted
All the nations see.
Christ, thy people’s glory!
Watching, doubting, cease:
Grant to us thy servants
Our discharge in peace.
Organists: Peter Nye and Roger Hind
Hymn words reproduced under CCLI: 845257.
Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England (2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000.