Service

Service Sheet

Welcome to St. Alban’s

4th January – Feast of the Epiphany

This church is fitted with an induction loop system. Please switch your hearing aid to ‘Two beeps’ (T).

The wise men arrive at the crib

Before the children leave for Children’s Church we pray together:

Dear God, this church is a family:

Help us to learn together, to worship together,

to share together and to pray together, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

OPENING HYMN John Henry Hopkins (1822-1900)

1  We three Kings of Orient are;

bearing gifts we traverse afar,

field and fountain, moor and mountain,

following yonder star.

        O Star of wonder, star of night,

        star with royal beauty bright,

        westward leading, still proceeding,

        guide us to thy perfect light.

2  Born a King on Bethlehem plain,

gold I bring to crown him again,

King for ever, ceasing never,

over us all to reign. O Star of wonder…

3  Frankincense to offer have I,

incense owns a deity nigh.

Prayer and praising, all are raising,

worship him, God most high. O Star of wonder…

4  Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume

breathes a life of gathering gloom;

sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

sealed in the stone-cold tomb. O Star of wonder…

5  Glorious now behold him arise,

King and God and sacrifice.

‘Alleluia, alleluia!’

earth to heaven replies. O Star of wonder…

We are gathered together as one body

† In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.

INVITATION TO CONFESSION

The grace of God has dawned upon the world through our Saviour Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.

Let us confess our sins.

Lord Jesus, illuminate the darkness in our hearts:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to your saving love:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, unstop our ears to hear your living word:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Almighty God,

who forgives all who truly repent,

have mercy upon you

† pardon and deliver you from all your sins,

confirm and strengthen you in all goodness

and keep you in life eternal.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GLORIA

All sing

Glory, glory to God, glory to God in the highest heav’ns;

peace, peace, peace on the earth;

peace to God’s people, all people on earth. (Repeat)

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Glory, glory…

Lord Jesus Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy, mercy on us. Have mercy, mercy on us.

You are seated at the right hand, at the right hand of the Father,

receive, Lord, receive our prayer. Receive, Lord, receive our prayer.

Glory, glory…

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

You alone are the most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,

In the glory, glory of God, the glory of God the Father.

Glory, glory…

Amen, amen.

THE COLLECT (The special prayer of the day)

Creator of the heavens,

who led the Magi by a star to worship the Christ–child:

guide and sustain us, that we may find our journey’s end

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

READINGS FROM SCRIPTURE

Isaiah 60.1–6; Ephesians 3.1–12

After each reading: This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

GRADUAL HYMN William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898)

1  As with gladness men of old

did the guiding star behold;

as with joy they hailed its light,

leading onward, beaming bright,

so, most gracious God, may we

evermore be led by Thee.

2  As with joyful steps they sped,

Saviour, to thy lowly bed,

there to bend the knee before

thee whom heaven and earth adore,

so may we with willing feet

ever seek thy mercy-seat.

3  As they offered gifts most rare

at thy cradle rude and bare,

so may we with holy joy,

pure, and free from sin’s alloy,

all our costliest treasures bring,

Christ, to thee, our heavenly King.

4  Holy Jesus, every day

keep us in the narrow way;

and, when earthly things are past,

bring our ransomed souls at last

where they need no star to guide,

where no clouds thy glory hide.

5  In the heavenly country bright

need they no created light;

thou its light, its joy, its crown,

thou its sun, which goes not down.

There forever may we sing

alleluias to our King.

THE GOSPEL

We sing Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia; alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.

Glory to you, O Lord.

Matthew 2.1–12

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

We sing Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia; alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

THE SERMON

THE NICENE CREED Please stand if you are able

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; he was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man. 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 PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Lord, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

At the end of the prayers we say together:

Merciful Father, accept these prayers,

for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE PEACE Please stand if you are able

Christ is our peace.

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation.

The old has passed away: behold, everything has become new.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Let us offer one another a sign of peace.

OFFERTORY HYMN John Wesley Work (1871-1925)

1  Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,

dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;

star of the east, the horizon adorning,

guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

2  Cold on his cradle the dew-drops are shining;

low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;

angels adore him in slumber reclining,

Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.

3  Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,

odours of Edom, and offerings divine,

gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,

myrrh from the forest, or gold from the mine?

4  Vainly we offer each ample oblation,

vainly with gifts would his favour secure:

richer by far is the heart’s adoration,

dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

5  Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,

dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;

star of the east, the horizon adorning,

guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

THE PREPARATION OF THE TABLE         

Lord, accept your people’s gifts,

not gold, frankincense or myrrh,

but hearts and voices raised in praise

of Jesus Christ, our light and our salvation. Amen.

THE EUCHARIST

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 thanks and praise.

All honour and praise be yours always and everywhere, mighty creator, ever-living God, through Jesus Christ your only Son our Lord:

for at this time we celebrate your glory made present in our midst.

In the coming of the magi the King of all the world

was revealed to the nations.

In the waters of baptism Jesus was revealed as the Christ,

the Saviour sent to redeem us.

In the water made wine the new creation was revealed

at the wedding feast. Poverty was turned to riches, sorrow into joy.

Therefore with all the angels of heaven

we lift our voices to proclaim the glory of your name

and sing our joyful hymn of praise:

We sing     Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and God of might:

Heaven and earth, heaven and earth

are full of your glory, your power and might.

Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest heavens. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest heavens.

Blessed, blessed is he who comes,

Blessed, blessed is he who comes,

blessed is he, blessed is he

who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna…

We praise and bless you, loving Father, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; and as we obey his command, send your Holy Spirit, that broken bread and wine outpoured may be for us the body and blood of your dear Son.

On the night before he died he had supper with his friends and, taking bread, he praised you. He broke the bread, gave it to them and said:

Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;

Do this in remembrance of me.

When supper was ended he took the cup of wine.

Again he praised you, gave it to them and said:

Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,

which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

So, Father, we remember all that Jesus did, in him we plead with confidence his sacrifice made once for all upon the cross.

Bringing before you the bread of life and cup of salvation,

we proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.

Great is the mystery of faith.

We sing     Dying you destroyed our death,

Rising you restored our life.

Lord Jesus come, Lord Jesus come;

Lord Jesus come in glory.

Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest heav’ns!

Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest heav’ns!

Lord of all life, help us to work together for that day

when your kingdom comes

and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.

Look with favour on your people, gather us in your loving arms

and bring us with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St Alban, St Caspar, St Melchior, St Balthazar and all the saints to feast at your table in heaven.

Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, O loving Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us, as our Saviour taught us so we pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name;

Your kingdom come,

your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,

because we all share in one bread.

We sing     Jesus, Lamb of God, Bread of Life for us;

Jesus, Lamb of God, Wine of Joy for us;

Jesus, Lamb of God bearing all our sin;

Have mercy on us, give us your peace.

God’s holy gifts, for God’s holy people.

Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

All baptised Christians who receive communion in their own churches are welcome to receive communion. Any member of the congregation may come to receive a blessing.

COMMUNION HYMN John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811-1875)

1  O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,

bow down before him, his glory proclaim;

with gold of obedience and incense of lowliness,

kneel and adore him; the Lord is his name.

2  Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,

high on his heart he will bear it for thee,

comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,

guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

3  Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness

of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine;

truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,

these are the offerings to lay on his shrine.

4  These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,

he will accept for the name that is dear;

mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,

trust for our trembling, and hope for our fear.

Prayers after Communion

Lord God,

the bright splendour whom the nations seek:

may we, who with the wise men have been drawn by your light,

discern the glory of your presence in your Son,

the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God,

we thank you for feeding us

with the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through him we offer you our souls and bodies

to be a living sacrifice.

Send us out in the power of your Spirit

to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

THE BLESSING AND DISMISSAL

Christ our Lord, to whom kings bowed down in worship and offered gifts, reveal to you his glory and pour upon you the riches of his grace;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord

In the name of Christ. Amen.

CLOSING HYMN James Montgomery (1771-1854)

1  Angels from the realms of glory,

wing your flight o’er all the earth;

ye who sang creation’s story,

now proclaim Messiah’s birth:

Come and worship Christ, the new-born King.

Come and worship! Worship Christ, the new-born King.

4  Saints, before the altar bending,

watching long in hope and fear,

suddenly the Lord descending

in his temple shall appear:

Come and worship…

 Common worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is © The Archbishop’s Council 2000.  Common Worship: Additional Eucharistic Prayers, material from which is reproduced above, is copyright © The Archbishop’s Council 2012. Calamus Licence Number 95 CCL Licence Number 078543