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    Canticles for Use at Funeral and Memorial Services
     
     
   
A Song of the Redeemer
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  Proclaim the time of the Lord's favour,
and comfort all who grieve.
     
  1
  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, •
because he has anointed me.
     
2
  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,  •
to announce release from darkness for the prisoners,
     
3
  To proclaim the time of the Lord's favour,  •
and to comfort all who grieve,
     
  4
  To give them oil of gladness instead of mourners' tears,  •
a garment of splendour for the heavy heart.
     
  5
  They will be called trees of righteousness,  •
planted by the Lord for his praise.
     
  6
  For God shall make his righteousness and praise  •
blossom before all the nations.
     
  7
  Buildings long in ruins will be rebuilt  •
and the desolate cities restored.
     
   8
  And you shall be called the Redeemed of the Lord,  •
a city no longer forsaken.                              
   
Isaiah 61.1-3,11b,4; 62.12
    Glory 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.
     
     
   
The Song of Manasseh
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  Full of compassion and mercy and love
 is God, the Most High, the Almighty.
     
  1
  O Lord almighty and God of our forebears,  •
you who made heaven and earth in all their glory:
     
  2
  All things tremble with awe at your presence,  •
before your great and mighty power.
     
  3
  Immeasurable and unsearchable is your promise of mercy,  •
for you are God, Most High.
     
   4
  You are full of compassion and very merciful,  •
and you relent at human suffering.
     
   5
  O God, according to your great goodness,  •
you have promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you.
     
6
  The sins I have committed against you  •
are more in number than the sands of the sea.
     
   7
  I am not worthy to look up and see the heavens,  •
because of my many sins and iniquities.
     
8
  And now my heart bows before you,  •
imploring your kindness upon me.
     
  9
  I have sinned, O God, I have sinned,  •
and I acknowledge my transgressions.
     
 10
  Unworthy as I am, I know that you will save me,  •
according to your great mercy.
     
 11
  For all the host of heaven sings your praise,  •
and your glory is for ever and ever.
   
Manasseh 1a,2,4,6,7,9a,9c,11,12,14b,15b
    Glory 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.
     
     
   
A Song of the Righteous
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  God has found the righteous worthy
and their hope is of immortality.
     
1
  The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God  •
and no torment will ever touch them.
     
   2
  In the eyes of the foolish, they seem to have died;  •
but they are at peace.
     
   3
  For though, in the sight of others, they were punished,  •
their hope is of immortality.
     
4
  Having been disciplined a little,
      they will receive great good,  •
because God tested them and found them worthy.
     
  5
  Like gold in the furnace, God tried them  •
and, like a sacrificial burnt offering, accepted them.
     
  6
  In the time of their visitation, they will shine forth  •
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
     
7
  They will govern nations and rule over peoples  •
and God will reign over them for ever and ever.
    Wisdom 3.1, 2a,3b-8
    Glory 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.
     
     
   
Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon)
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  Awake may we watch with Christ:
asleep may we rest in peace.
     
1
  Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:  •
your word has been fulfilled.
     
   2
  My own eyes have seen the salvation  •
which you have prepared in the sight of every people;
     
3
  A light to reveal you to the nations  •
and the glory of your people Israel.                                  
   
Luke 2.29-32
    Glory 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.
     
     
1
  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :
according to thy word.
     
2
  For mine eyes have seen :
thy salvation;
     
  3
  Which thou hast prepared :
before the face of all people;
     
  4
  To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.                           
   
Luke 2.29-32
    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.
     
     
   
A Song of the Justified
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  We are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
     
1
  God reckons as righteous those who believe,  •
who believe in him who raised Jesus from the dead;
     
  2
  For Christ was handed over to death for our sins,  •
and raised to life for our justification.
     
   3
  Since we are justified by faith,  •
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
     
  4
  Through Christ we have gained access to the grace in which we stand,  •
and rejoice in our hope of the glory of God.
     
5
  We even exult in our sufferings,  •
for suffering produces endurance,
     
6
  And endurance brings hope,  •
and our hope is not in vain,
     
  7
  Because God's love has been poured into our hearts,  •
through the Holy Spirit, given to us.
     
   8
  God proves his love for us:  •
while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
     
9
  Since we have been justified by his death,  •
how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath.
     
10
  Therefore, 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
    Glory 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.
     
     
   
A Song of God's Children
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  The Spirit of the Father,
who raises Christ Jesus from the dead,
gives life to the people of God.
     
  1
  The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus  •
has set us free from the law of sin and death.
     
   2
  All 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'.
     
   3
  The Spirit himself bears witness that we are children of God  •
and if God's children, then heirs of God;
     
  4
  If heirs of God, then fellow-heirs with Christ;  •
since we suffer with him now, that we may be glorified with him.
     
   5
  These sufferings that we now endure  •
are not worth comparing to the glory that shall be revealed.
     
   6
  For the creation waits with eager longing  •
for the revealing of the children of God.             
   
Romans 8.2,14,15b-19
    Glory 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.
     
     
   
A Song of Faith
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  God raised Christ from the dead,
 the Lamb without spot or stain.
     
  1
  Blessed be the God and Father  •
of our Lord Jesus Christ!
     
   2
  By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope  •
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
     
   3
  nto an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading,  •
kept in heaven for you,
     
   4
  Who are being protected by the power of God
      through faith for a salvation  •
ready to be revealed in the last time.
     
  5
  You were ransomed from the futile ways of your ancestors  •
not with perishable things like silver or gold
     
  6
  But with the precious blood of Christ  •
like that of a lamb without spot or stain.
     
   7
  Through him we 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
    Glory 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.
     
     
   
A Song of the Redeemed
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  Salvation belongs to our God,
who will guide us to springs of living water.
     
1
  Behold, a great multitude  •
which no one could number,
     
  2
  From every nation,
      from all tribes and peoples and tongues,  •
standing before the throne and the Lamb.
     
3
  They 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.'
     
   5
  These 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;
     
  6
  Therefore they stand before the throne of God,  •
whom they serve day and night within the temple.
     
7
  And the One who sits upon the throne  •
will shelter them with his presence.
     
   8
  They shall never again feel hunger or thirst,  •
the sun shall not strike them,
      nor any scorching heat.
     
   9
  For the Lamb at the heart of the throne  •
will be their Shepherd,
     
 10
  He will guide them to springs of living water,  •
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
   
Revelation 7.9,10,14b-17
    To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
      for ever and ever.  Amen.           
     
     
   
A Song of the Lamb
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  Let us rejoice and exult
and give glory and homage to our God.
     
  1
  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,  •
whose judgements are true and just.
     
2
  Praise our God, all you his servants,  •
all who fear him, both small and great.
     
  3
  The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns:  •
let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.
     
  4
  For the marriage of the Lamb has come  •
and his bride has made herself ready.
     
   5
  Blessed are those who are invited  •
to the wedding banquet of the Lamb.
   
                                                        Revelation 19.1b,2b,5b,6b,7,9b
    To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
      for ever and ever.  Amen.
     
     
   
A Song of St Anselm
 
     
    Refrain:
     
All
  Gather your little ones to you, O God,
 as a hen gathers her brood to protect them.
     
1
  Jesus, like a mother you gather your people to you;  •
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
     
  2
  Often you weep over our sins and our pride,  •
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgement.
     
  3
  You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds,  •
in sickness you nurse us, and with pure milk you feed us.
     
4
  Jesus, by your dying we are born to new life;  •
by your anguish and labour we come forth in joy.
     
  5
  Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;  •
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
     
  6
  Your warmth gives life to the dead,  •
your touch makes sinners righteous.
     
  7
  Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us;  •
in your love and tenderness remake us.
     
   8
  In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness,  •
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us. 
   
from Anselm of Canterbury
    Glory 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.
     
© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004
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