Welcome to this week’s special Windmill United Benefice online service for Lammastide. This would have been one of the services when all three congregations of Burstow, Horne and Outwood joined together, so there are contributions from around the benefice by Rev Nicholas Calver, Rev Charles Sargent and Rev Dr Tony Rich, as well as people from the three parishes sharing the fruits of their labours! All the music was recorded at previous services in the benefice.
The Lammas service has been put together as a continuous film, so just click below to take part
If you prefer to join in the service bit by bit, please click on the links below
The hymn ‘For the fruits of his creation’ is sung
For the fruits of his creation
thanks be to God;
for his gifts to every nation
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth’s safe keeping,
thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour,
God’s will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God’s will is done;
in our worldwide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
Introduction, Confession, Gloria and Collect
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Lammas is an ancient festival which goes back to Old Testament times when the Hebrew people celebrated the first fruits of the harvest, an early Harvest Festival as it were.
At Lammas, the hot ripening days of summer are upon us, the harvest season has begun. Lammas is not the end of the harvest season, when all is safely gathered in – we celebrate that at Harvest Festival in early autumn. It is the beginning of the harvest, the first fruits. Apples are beginning to ripen in the trees, our summer vegetables are being picked, and hay is being mown and gathered. Now is the time to begin reaping what we have sown and gathering up the first fruits of the harvest. And now, as those who know the generosity of God, let us call to mind and confess our sins:
For the ways in which we take your good gifts for granted.
Lord, have mercy.
For the times when we have not fulfilled our calling to steward your earth;
Lord, have mercy.
For the times when we have thought only of our own needs
and not the needs of others
Lord, have mercy
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and keep us in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Gloria is sung
Glory in the highest to the God of heaven!
Peace to all your people through the earth be given:
Mighty God and Father, thanks and praise we bring,
Singing alleluia to our heavenly king.
Jesus Christ is risen, God the Father’s Son:
Seated now and reigning from your Father’s throne,
Lamb of God the Saviour, all our sin to bear,
Show us now your mercy, now receive our prayer.
Christ the world’s true Saviour, high and holy One,
With the Holy Spirit, you are Lord alone!
Lord and God, we praise you; Highest heaven adores:
In the Father’s glory, all the praise be yours!
God of all the earth,
you have given us the heritage of this good and fertile land;
grant that we may so respect and use it
that others may thank us for what we leave to them;
through Jesus, the Christ,
who is alive with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever. Amen.
Fruits of the orchard
Andy Wright speaks from his orchard in Outwood
A reading of Isaiah 55: 8-12
by Shân Daniels
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
A reflection by Nicholas
Toil of the soil
Andrew Gilbert speaks from his allotment in Smallfield
A reading of 2 Corinthians 9: 6-11
by Tracy Taylor
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
A reflection by Tony
Grass of the field
Robert Streeter speaks from one of his fields in Horne
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John
Glory to you, O Lord
The Gospel reading from John 6: 5-13
by Trish Wyer
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ
A reflection by Charles
The Creed, Intercessions and Peace
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God.
Do you believe and trust in God the Father,
creator of the world?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in His Son Jesus Christ,
redeemer of the world?
We believe and trust in him.
Do you believe and trust in His Holy Spirit,
sustainer of the world?
We believe and trust in him.
This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Intercessions
led by Harry and Elizabeth Barrett
Let us pray and praise God for his goodness:
For the rich soil of the countryside,
for the green corn rising from the earth,
fruit ripening on the trees
and vegetables springing from the ground.
Let us praise God.
And thank him for his goodness
For the power of tractors
and for all the machines that ease our labour;
and for the skill of those who will gather in the harvest this year
here and around the world:
Let us praise God.
And thank him for his goodness
For all who work on the farm and in the field;
for their hope and courage
in days of difficulty and disappointment:
Let us praise God.
And thank him for his goodness
For those who, often unnoticed and unsung,
provide their families, friends and fellow-citizens
with the means of life,
Let us praise God.
And thank him for his goodness
For fruits of the earth,
given to us for our well-being and growth,
and all your good gifts to us
Let us praise God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
And thank him for his goodness.
Amen
The Peace
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.
If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you
The anthem is ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’
(Words by Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1835-1917, music by John Rutter, b.1945)
sung by the Windmill United Benefice choir at the Lammas service on 29 July 2018
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the Love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of Praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of Praise.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above;
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of Praise.
For each perfect Gift of Thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and Divine,
Flowers of earth, and buds of Heaven:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of Praise.
Closing prayers and blessing
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.
God our creator,
who clothes the lilies of the field and feeds the birds of the air,
bestow on us your care and teach us to see your hand
in the beauty of the earth, in your love that surrounds us
and in all your good gifts to us.
Amen.
Lord Jesus, give us your light in our eyes,
your word on our lips, and your love in our hearts.
Send us out in the power of your Spirit
to live and work to your praise and glory.
Amen.
Tend the earth, care for God’s good creation,
and bring forth the fruits of righteousness.
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
The hymn ‘You shall go out with joy’ is sung
Recorded by the Horne Family Service band (Steve and Gill Robinson, David Spruce, Sue Wates, Michael Harvey, Ginette and Peter Nye) individually at home and then mixed together by Steve Robinson.
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace
And the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you.
There’ll be shouts of joy
and the trees of the field shall clap, shall clap their hands.
And the trees of the field shall clap their hands,
And the trees of the field shall clap their hands,
And the trees of the field shall clap their hands
And you’ll go out with joy.
Organist: Peter Nye
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.