Thursday 21 May, is Ascension Day.
At 9am we will have Morning Prayer with additional hymns and reflection as we have been having on Sunday Morning. The following hymns, readings, and prayer responses will be used to enhance this service of Morning Worship which our regular pattern of Morning Prayer
This will be streamed live on our Facebook page at 9am on Sunday and then available for you to follow in your own time after that either on our Facebook page or on YouTube.
There will be a link to the YouTube service emailed with the weekly reflection used in this service.
In addition to this for the ten days between Ascension and Pentecost we will be praying "Thy Kingdom Come" with churches throughout the world, that the gift of the Spirit might fill our world at this time of need and uncertainty.
To help this we will be following a different pattern of Psalms and Readings and Morning and Evening Prayer (which will continue to be streamed at 9am and 6pm each day on Facebook. If you would like a copy of these additional resources they can be downloaded from our website here or printed in booklet form here.
Opening Hymn
to his throne above the skies; Alleluia,
Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia,
enters now the highest heaven. Alleluia!
There for him high triumph waits;
lift your heads, eternal gates.
He hath conquered death and sin;
take the King of Glory in.
Lo, the heaven its Lord receives,
yet he loves the earth he leaves;
though returning to his throne,
still he calls mankind his own.
See, he lifts his hands above;
see, he shews the prints of love;
hark, his gracious lips bestow
blessings on his church below.
Still for us he intercedes,
his prevailing death he pleads;
near himself prepares our place,
he the first-fruits of our race.
Lord, though parted from our sight,
far above the starry height,
grant our hearts may thither rise,
seeking thee above the skies.
Scripture Reading
The Benedictus
who has come to set us free.
He has raised for us a Saviour
sprung from royal David’s tree.
Through his prophets God had spoken
of the hope the Christ would bring;
of his faithfulness and mercy
let each generation sing.
Long ago God made a promise
he would set his people free,
that in all our life and worship
we might know true liberty,
to be holy, to be righteous
in his sight throughout our days;
now this child will be a herald
making ready all God’s ways.
Let all people know salvation
through forgiveness of their sin,
as our God in his compassion
bids a shining dawn begin.
So may all who dwell in darkness
see the shadows disappear
while he guides our feet in pathways
where his peace is ever near.
To the Father be all glory
with the Spirit and the Son,
as it was, is now and shall be
while eternal ages run.
Prayer Response
We pray to the Father....
...hear our prayer.
Collect
Risen Christ,
you have raised our human nature to the throne of heaven:
help us to seek and serve you,
that we may join you at the Father’s side,
where you reign with the Spirit in glory,
now and for ever.
Amen
Final Hymn
is crowned with glory now:
a royal diadem adorns
the mighty Victor's brow.
The highest place that heaven affords
is his, is his by right,
the King of kings, and Lord of lords,
and heaven's eternal Light;
The joy of all who dwell above,
the joy of all below,
to whom he manifests his love,
and grants his name to know.
To them the cross, with all its shame,
with all its grace, is given:
their name, an everlasting name,
their joy, the joy of heaven.
They suffer with their Lord below,
they reign with him above;
their profit and their joy to know
the mystery of his love.
The cross he bore is life and health,
though shame and death to him;
his people's hope, his people's wealth,
their everlasting theme.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Hymns are reproduced under CCLI: 938092 and CCLI Streaming Licence 1001311