Refrain:
AllRejoice and be glad
for you are the light of the world,
and great is your reward in heaven.
1Blessed are the poor
in spirit, •
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2Blessed are those who
mourn, •
for they shall be comforted.
3Blessed are the meek,
•
for they shall inherit the earth.
4Blessed are those who
hunger
and thirst after righteousness, •
for they shall be satisfied.
5Blessed are the merciful,
•
for they shall obtain mercy.
6Blessed are the pure
in heart, •
for they shall see God.
7Blessed are the peacemakers,
•
for they shall be called children of God.
8Blessed are those who
suffer persecution
for righteousness’ sake, •
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5.3-10
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllRejoice and be glad
for you are the light of the world,
and great is your reward in heaven.
1My soul proclaims the
greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; •
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
2From this day all generations
will call me blessed; •
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
3He has mercy on those
who fear him, •
from generation to generation.
4He has shown strength
with his arm •
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
5Casting down the mighty
from their thrones •
and lifting up the lowly.
6He has filled the hungry
with good things •
and sent the rich away empty.
7He has come to the aid
of his servant Israel, •
to remember his promise of mercy,
8The promise made to
our ancestors, •
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Luke 1.46-55
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord:
unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name:
make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might:
powers and dominions lay their glory by;
proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word:
firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore.
Timothy Dudley-Smith
(Tune: 10 10 10 10, e.g.‘Woodlands’)
With Mary let my soul rejoice,
and praise God’s holy name –
his saving love from first to last,
from age to age the same!
How strong his arm, how great his power!
the proud he will disown;
the meek and humble he exalts
to share his glorious throne.
The rich our God will send away
and feed the hungry poor;
the arms of love remain outstretched
at mercy’s open door.
So shall God’s promise be fulfilled,
to Israel firmly made:
a child is born, a Son is given
whose crown will never fade.
All glory to the Father, Son
and Spirit now proclaim;
with Mary let the world rejoice
and praise God’s holy name!
David Mowbray
(Tune: CM, e.g.‘St Stephen’)
1Blessed be the Lord
the God of Israel, •
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for
us a mighty Saviour, •
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets
God promised of old •
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our
ancestors, •
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God
swore to our father Abraham: •
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him
without fear, •
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, •
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge
of salvation •
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion
of our God •
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, •
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Now bless the God of Israel who comes in love and power,
who raises from the royal house deliv’rance in this hour.
Through holy prophets God has sworn to free us from alarm,
to save us from the heavy hand of all who wish us harm.
Remembering the covenant, God rescues us from fear,
that we might serve in holiness and peace from year to year.
And you, my child, shall go before, to preach, to prophesy,
that all may know the tender love, the grace of God most high.
In tender mercy, God will send the dayspring from on high,
our rising sun, the light of life for those who sit and sigh.
God comes to guide our way to peace, that death shall reign no more.
Sing praises to the Holy One, O worship and adore.
To God the Father, fount of grace, through his beloved Son,
with God their Spirit, bond of love, be glory ever One.
Ruth Duck
Doxology: James Quinn SJ
(Tune: DCM, e.g.‘Kingsfold’)
Bless the Lord, the God of Israel,
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.
Anne Harrison
(Tune: 87 87 D, e.g.‘Corvedale’)
1Now, Lord, you let your
servant go in peace: •
your word has been fulfilled.
2My own eyes have seen
the salvation •
which you have prepared in the sight of every people;
3A light to reveal you
to the nations •
and the glory of your people Israel.
Luke 2.29-32
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Refrain:
AllOur hope is not in vain,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts.
1God reckons as righteous
those who believe, •
who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;
2For Christ was handed
over to death for our sins, •
and raised to life for our justification.
3Since we are justified
by faith, •
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
4Through Christ we have
gained access
to the grace in which we stand, •
and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.
5We even exult in our
sufferings, •
for suffering produces endurance,
6And endurance brings
hope, •
and our hope is not in vain,
7Because God’s
love has been poured into our hearts, •
through the Holy Spirit, given to us.
8God proves his love
for us: •
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
9Since we have been justified
by his death, •
how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath.
10Therefore, we exult
in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, •
in whom we have now received our reconciliation.
Romans 4.24, 25; 5.1-5, 8, 9, 11
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllOur hope is not in vain,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts.
Refrain:
AllThe Spirit of the Father,
who raised Christ Jesus from the dead,
gives life to the people of God.
1The law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus •
has set us free from the law of sin and death.
2All who are led by the
Spirit of God are children of God; •
for we have received the Spirit that enables us to cry, ‘Abba, Father’.
3The Spirit himself bears
witness that we are children of God •
and if God’s children, then heirs of God;
4If heirs of God, then
fellow-heirs with Christ; •
since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
5These sufferings that
we now endure •
are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
6For the creation waits
with eager longing •
for the revealing of the children of God.
Romans 8.2, 14, 15b-19
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllThe Spirit of the Father,
who raised Christ Jesus from the dead,
gives life to the people of God.
Refrain:
AllLove bears all things
and will never come to an end.
1Love is patient and
kind, •
love is not jealous or boastful,
it is not arrogant or rude.
2Love does not insist
on its own way, •
it is not angry or resentful.
3It does not rejoice
in wrongdoing •
but rejoices in the truth.
4Love bears all things
and believes all things; •
love hopes all things and endures all things.
5Love will never come
to an end, •
but prophecy will vanish,
tongues cease and knowledge pass away.
6Now we know only in
part •
and we prophesy only in part,
7But when the perfect
comes, •
the partial shall pass away.
8When I was a child,
I spoke like a child, •
I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
9But when I became mature,
•
I put an end to childish ways.
10For now we see only
puzzling reflections in a mirror, •
but then we will see face to face.
11Now I know only in
part; •
then I shall know fully,
even as I have been fully known.
12There are three things
that last for ever,
faith, hope and love, •
but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13.4-13
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllLove bears all things
and will never come to an end.
Refrain:
AllThe glorious grace of God
is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
1Blessed are you,
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, •
for you have blest us in Christ Jesus
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
2You chose us to be yours
in Christ
before the foundation of the world, •
that we should be holy and blameless before you.
3In love you destined
us for adoption as your children,
through Jesus Christ, •
according to the purpose of your will,
4To the praise of your
glorious grace, •
which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
5In you, we have redemption
through the blood of Christ, •
the forgiveness of our sins,
6According to the riches
of your grace, •
which you have lavished upon us.
7You have made known
to us, in all wisdom and insight, •
the mystery of your will,
8According to your purpose
which you set forth in Christ, •
as a plan for the fullness of time,
9To unite all things
in Christ, •
things in heaven and things on earth.
Ephesians 1.3-10
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllThe glorious grace of God
is freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Refrain:
AllAt the name of Jesus
every knee shall bow.
1Christ Jesus was in
the form of God, •
but he did not cling to equality with God.
2He emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant, •
and was born in our human likeness.
3Being found in human
form he humbled himself, •
and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
4Therefore God has highly
exalted him, •
and bestowed on him the name above every name,
5That at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, •
in heaven and on earth and under the earth;
6And every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, •
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2.5-11
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllAt the name of Jesus
every knee shall bow.
Refrain:
AllChrist is the image of the
invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
1The Father has delivered
us from the dominion of darkness, •
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son;
2In whom we have redemption,
•
the forgiveness of our sins.
3He is the image of the
invisible God, •
the firstborn of all creation.
4For in him all things
were created, •
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.
5All things were created
through him and for him, •
he is before all things and in him all things hold together.
6He is the head of the
body, the Church, •
he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
7In him all the fullness
of God was pleased to dwell; •
and through him God was pleased to reconcile all things.
Colossians 1.13-18a, 19, 20a
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllChrist is the image of the
invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
Refrain:
AllChrist was believed in throughout
the world
and taken up in glory.
1Christ Jesus was revealed
in the flesh •
and vindicated in the spirit.
2He was seen by angels
•
and proclaimed among the nations.
3Believed in throughout
the world, •
he was taken up in glory.
4This will be made manifest
at the proper time •
by the blessed and only Sovereign,
5Who alone has immortality,
•
and dwells in unapproachable light.
AllTo the King of kings and
Lord of lords •
be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.
1 Timothy 3.16; 6.15, 16
AllChrist was believed in throughout
the world
and taken up in glory.
Refrain:
AllWe have come before the
throne of God
to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
1We have come before
God’s holy mountain, •
to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.
2We have come before
countless angels making festival, •
before the assembly of the firstborn citizens of heaven.
3We have come before
God, who is judge of all, •
before the spirits of the just made perfect.
4We have come before
Jesus, •
the mediator of the new covenant.
5We are receiving a kingdom
that cannot be shaken: •
so let us give thanks and offer to God acceptable worship,
6Full of reverence and
awe; •
for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12.22-24a, 28, 29
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllWe have come before the
throne of God
to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Refrain:
AllGod raised Christ from the
dead,
the Lamb without spot or stain.
1Blessed be the God and
Father •
of our Lord Jesus Christ!
2By his great mercy we
have been born anew to a living hope •
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
3Into an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, •
kept in heaven for you,
4Who are being protected
by the power of God through faith, •
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
5You were ransomed from
the futile ways of your ancestors •
not with perishable things like silver or gold
6But with the precious
blood of Christ •
like that of a lamb without spot or stain.
7Through him you have
confidence in God,
who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, •
so that your faith and hope are set on God.
1 Peter 1.3-5, 18, 19, 21
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllGod raised Christ from the
dead,
the Lamb without spot or stain.
Refrain:
AllChrist committed no sin,
no guile was found on his lips.
1Christ suffered for
you, leaving you an example, •
that you should follow in his steps.
2He committed no sin,
no guile was found on his lips, •
when he was reviled, he did not revile in turn.
3When he suffered, he
did not threaten, •
but he trusted himself to God who judges justly.
4Christ himself bore
our sins in his body on the tree, •
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
5By his wounds, you have
been healed,
for you were straying like sheep, •
but have now returned
to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
1 Peter 2.21b-25
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllChrist committed no sin,
no guile was found on his lips.
Refrain:
AllTell the good news of Jesus
the Christ
to all who are searching for redemption.
1This is the message
we have heard from Christ
and proclaim to you: •
that God is light,
in whom there is no darkness at all.
2If we say that we have
fellowship with God
while we walk in darkness, •
we lie and do not do what is true.
3But if we walk in the
light
as God is in the light, •
we have fellowship with one another.
4And the blood of Jesus,
the Son of God, •
cleanses us from all our sins.
5If we say that we have
no sin, •
we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us.
6If we confess our sins,
•
the One who is faithful and just will forgive us
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1. 5-9
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllTell the good news of Jesus
the Christ
to all who are searching for redemption.
Refrain:
AllGod’s love was revealed
among us
so that we might live through Jesus.
1Beloved, let us love
one another,
for love is of God; •
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
2Whoever does not love
does not know God, •
for God is love.
3In this the love of
God was revealed among us, •
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.
4In this is love,
not that we loved God but that he loved us, •
and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.
5Beloved, since God loved
us so much, •
we ought also to love one another.
6For if we love one another,
God abides in us, •
and God’s love will be perfected in us.
1 John 4.7-11, 12b
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
AllGod’s love was revealed
among us
so that we might live through Jesus.
This Canticle is also known as Glory and Honour
Refrain:
AllYou created all things,
O God,
and are worthy of our praise for ever.
1You are worthy, our
Lord and God, •
to receive glory and honour and power.
2For you have created
all things, •
and by your will they have their being.
3You are worthy, O Lamb,
for you were slain, •
and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and nation.
4You have made them to
be a kingdom and priests
serving our God, •
and they will reign with you on earth.
Revelation 4.11; 5.9b, 10
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.
AllYou created all things,
O God,
and are worthy of our praise for ever.
Refrain:
AllSalvation belongs to our
God,
who will guide us to springs of living water.
1Behold, a great multitude
•
which no one could number,
2From every nation,
from all tribes and peoples and tongues, •
standing before the throne and the Lamb.
3They were clothed in
white robes
and had palms in their hands, •
and they cried with a loud voice, saying,
4‘Salvation
belongs to our God
who sits on the throne,•
and to the Lamb.’
5These are they
who have come out of the great tribulation, •
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb;
6Therefore they stand
before the throne of God, •
whom they serve day and night within the temple.
7And the One who sits
upon the throne •
will shelter them with his presence.
8They shall never again
feel hunger or thirst, •
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
9For the Lamb at the
heart of the throne •
will be their Shepherd,
10He will guide them
to springs of living water, •
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Revelation 7.9, 10, 14b-17
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
AllSalvation belongs to our
God,
who will guide us to springs of living water.
Refrain:
AllAll nations shall come and
worship you, O Christ,
and share in the feast of your kingdom.
1Great and wonderful
are your deeds, •
Lord God the Almighty.
2Just and true are your
ways, •
O ruler of the nations.
3Who shall not revere
and praise your name, O Lord? •
for you alone are holy.
4All nations shall come
and worship in your presence: •
for your just dealings have been revealed.
Revelation 15.3, 4
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
AllAll nations shall come and
worship you, O Christ,
and share in the feast of your kingdom.
Refrain:
AllLet us rejoice and exult
and give glory and homage to our God.
1Salvation and glory
and power belong to our God, •
whose judgements are true and just.
2Praise our God, all
you his servants, •
all who fear him, both small and great.
3The Lord our God, the
Almighty, reigns: •
let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.
4For the marriage of
the Lamb has come •
and his bride has made herself ready.
5Blessed are those who
are invited •
to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.
Revelation 19.1b, 2a, 5b, 6b, 7, 9b
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
AllLet us rejoice and exult
and give glory and homage to our God.
Refrain:
AllI saw the holy city
coming down out of heaven from God.
1I saw a new heaven and
a new earth, •
for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away
and the sea was no more.
2And I saw the holy city,
new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, •
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3And I heard a great
voice from the throne saying, •
‘Behold, the dwelling of God is among mortals.
4‘He will dwell
with them and they shall be his peoples, •
and God himself will be with them.
5‘He will wipe
every tear from their eyes, •
and death shall be no more.
6‘Neither shall
there be mourning,
nor crying, nor pain any more, •
for the former things have passed away.’
7And the One who sat
upon the throne said, •
‘Behold, I make all things new.’
Revelation 21.1-5a
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
AllI saw the holy city
coming down out of heaven from God.
Refrain:
AllBy the river stood the tree
of life,
with healing for all the nations.
1I saw no temple in the
city, •
for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty
and the Lamb.
2And the city has no
need of sun or moon
to shine upon it, •
for the glory of God is its light,
and its lamp is the Lamb.
3By its light the nations
shall walk, •
and the rulers of the earth
shall bring their glory into it.
4Its gates shall never
be shut by day,
nor shall there be any night; •
they shall bring into it
the glory and honour of the nations.
5I saw the river of the
water of life,
bright as crystal, •
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
6And either side of the
river stood the tree of life,
yielding its fruit each month, •
and the leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations.
7The throne of God and
of the Lamb shall be there,
and his servants shall worship him; •
and they shall see his face
and his name shall be on their foreheads.
Revelation 21.22-26; 22.1, 2b, d, 3b, 4
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Refrain:
AllSurely I am coming soon.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
1‘Behold, I am
coming soon’, says the Lord,
‘and bringing my reward with me, •
to give to everyone according to their deeds.
2‘I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the first and the last, •
the beginning and the end.’
3Blessed are those who
do God’s commandments,
that they may have the right to the tree of life, •
and may enter into the city through the gates.
4‘I, Jesus, have
sent my angel to you, •
with this testimony for all the churches.
5‘I am the root
and the offspring of David, •
I am the bright morning star.’
6‘Come!’
say the Spirit and the Bride; •
‘Come!’ let each hearer reply.
7Come forward, you who
are thirsty, •
let those who desire take the water of life as a gift.
Revelation 22.12-14, 16, 17
AllTo the One who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb •
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
AllSurely I am coming soon.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
1Christ our passover
has been sacrificed for us: •
so let us celebrate the feast,
2not with the old leaven
of corruption and wickedness: •
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5.7b, 8
3Christ once raised from
the dead dies no more: •
death has no more dominion over him.
4In dying he died to
sin once for all: •
in living he lives to God.
5See yourselves therefore
as dead to sin: •
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6.9-11
6Christ has been raised
from the dead: •
the first fruits of those who sleep.
7For as by man came death:
•
by man has come also the resurrection of the dead;
8for as in Adam all die:
•
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15.20-22
AllGlory to the Father and
to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.