Candlemas Carol Service 31 January 2021 15.30
Welcome to Bradford Cathedral The seat of the Bishop of Leeds and a Centre of Worship and Mission One of three Cathedrals in the Anglican Diocese of Leeds
Our purpose is serving Christ and transforming lives through welcome, worship and encounter.
❖ Please join in at home, and in the Cathedral, by saying or singing the words in bold type in this order of service ❖ For those at home, unable to receive Holy Communion: The term ‘Spiritual Communion’ has been used historically to describe the means of grace by which a person, prevented for some serious reason from sharing in a celebration of the Eucharist, nonetheless shares in the communion of Jesus Christ. The Church of which we are members is not defined by the walls of a building but by the Body of Christ of which we are members. In making our communion spiritually, we are joining with Christians everywhere to be nourished by the one who tells us, ‘I am the Bread of Life’. ❖ Please note that this service will be broadcast live on YouTube and be available for the following two weeks. ❖ The music is sung by members of the Cathedral Choir, led by the Director of Music, Alex Berry. The organ is played by the Assistant Director of Music, Graham Thorpe.
HOSPITALITY info@bradfordcathedral.org www.bradfordcathedral.org
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FAITHFULNESS
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WHOLENESS
Bradford Cathedral, Stott Hill, Bradford, BD1 4EH T: 01274 777720 2
Voluntary: Andante tranquillo from Sonata III, Op.65 by F. Mendelssohn
Choir We wait for Thy loving kindness, O God: in the midst of Thy temple: Alleluya. O God, according to Thy Name, so is Thy praise unto the world’s end. Thy right hand is full of righteousness: Alleluya. We wait for Thy loving kindness, O God: in the midst of Thy temple. O Lord send us now prosperity. Amen. Words: Selected by the Revd. C.M. Armitage Music: W. McKie (1901-1984)
Introduction The Very Reverend Jerry Lepine, Dean of Bradford Brothers and sisters, forty days ago we celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we recall the day on which he was presented in the Temple, when he was offered to the Father and shown to his people. As a sign of his coming among us, his mother was purified, as we now come to him for cleansing. Simeon and Anna recognised him as their Lord, as we today sing of his glory. In this celebration, we celebrate both the joy of his coming and his searching judgement, looking back to the day of his birth and forward to the coming days of his passion. We stand
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Hymn I greet thee, who my sure Redeemer art, my only Trust and Saviour of my heart, who pain didst undergo for my poor sake; I pray thee from our hearts all cares to take. Thou art the King of mercy and of grace, reigning omnipotent in every place: so come, O King, and our whole being sway; shine on us with the light of thy pure day. Thou art the Life, by which alone we live, and all our substance and our strength receive; sustain us by thy faith and by thy power, and give us strength in every trying hour. Thou hast the true and perfect gentleness, no harshness hast thou and no bitterness: O grant to us the grace we find in thee, that we may dwell in perfect unity. Our hope is in no other save in thee; our faith is built upon thy promise free; Lord, give us peace, and make us calm and sure, that in thy strength we evermore endure. Words: Attributed to John Calvin (1509-1564) Tune: STONELAW; Church Hymnary 86 (3rd ed.)
We sit
Reading
Malachi 3.1-4
See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.
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Choir Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life, and bid thee feed by the stream and o’er the mead; gave thee clothing of delight, softest clothing, woolly, bright; gave thee such a tender voice, making all the vales rejoice? Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Little lamb, I’ll tell thee, little lamb, I’ll tell thee; he is called by thy name, for he calls himself a Lamb, he is meek, and he is mild, he became a little child. I, a child, and thou a lamb, we are called by his name. Little lamb, God bless thee! Little lamb, God bless thee! Words: William Blake (1757-1827) Music: J. Tavener (1944-2013)
Reading
An Offering by George Herbert Come, bring thy gift. If blessings were as slow As mens returns, what would become of fools? What hast thou there? a heart? but is it pure? Search well and see; for hearts have many holes. Yet one pure heart is nothing to bestow: In Christ two natures met to be thy cure. O that within us hearts had propagation, Since many gifts do challenge many hearts! Yet one, if good, may title to a number; And single things grow fruitfull by deserts. In publick judgements one may be a nation, And fence a plague, while others sleep and slumber. But all I fear is lest thy heart displease, As neither good, nor one: so oft divisions Thy lusts have made, and not thy lusts alone; Thy passions also have their set partitions. These parcell out thy heart: recover these, And thou mayst offer many gifts in one. 5
There is a balsome, or indeed a bloud, Dropping from heav’n, which doth both cleanse and close All sorts of wounds; of such strange force it is. Seek out this All-heal, and seek no repose, Untill thou finde and use it to thy good: Then bring thy gift, and let thy hymne be this; Since my sadnesse Into gladnesse Lord thou dost convert, O accept What thou hast kept, As thy due desert. Had I many, Had I any, (For this heart is none) All were thine And none of mine: Surely thine alone. Yet thy favour May give savour To this poore oblation; And it raise To be thy praise, And be my salvation. We stand
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Hymn O love, how deep, how broad, how high! It fills the heart with ecstasy, that God, the Son of God, should take our mortal form for mortals’ sake. He sent no angel to our race of higher or of lower place, but wore the robe of human frame himself, and to this lost world came. For us he was baptized, and bore his holy fast, and hungered sore; for us temptations sharp he knew; for us the tempter overthrew. For us to wicked men betrayed, scourged, mocked, in purple robe arrayed, he bore the shameful cross and death; for us at length gave up his breath. For us he rose from death again, for us he went on high to reign, for us he sent his Spirit here to guide, to strengthen, and to cheer. To him whose boundless love has won salvation for us through his Son, to God the Father, glory be both now and through eternity. Words: ascribed to Thomas à Kempis (c.1379-1471) Music: EISENACH; CP 118
We sit
Reading
‘Light of Heaven’ from Christmastide in St. Paul’s by H.P. Liddon
[T]he birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was to the spiritual world what the rising of the sun is in the world of nature. Even upon the orders of heavenly intelligences it had its effects, at which St. Paul hints in his Epistle to the Ephesians. But for the human soul it meant a passage from darkness to light, and from cold to sunshine. Prophecy had bidden Zion arise and shine, since her Light had come, and the glory of the Lord had risen upon her. The Sun of Righteousness was announced, Who should arise with healing in His wings. Although darkness had covered the earth, and gross darkness the people, yet the Lord should arise upon Zion, and His glory be seen upon her.
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Accordingly Zacharias salutes Him as “the Daystar from on high Who hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death;” and Simeon, holding the Divine Saviour in his arms, proclaims that He is “a Light to lighten the Gentiles.” It was felt that the word of prophecy was fulfilled, when “the people which walked in darkness had seen a great Light, and they that walk in the region and shadow of death, upon them had the Light shined.” When Jesus, the Sun of the moral world, rose above the horizon of time, first one and then another height was touched by His rays; and gradually the light crept down the hillsides, and reached the valleys of human life, so that no scene was too remote to be bathed in its warmth and splendour.
Choir When to the Temple Mary went, and brought the Holy Child, him did the aged Simeon see, as it had been revealed. He took up Jesus in his arms and blessing God, he said; in peace I now depart, my Saviour having seen the Hope of Israel, the Light of men. Help now, thy servants, gracious Lord, that we may ever be, as once the faithful Simeon was, rejoicing but in thee; and when we must from Earth departure take may gently fall asleep and with thee wake. Words: tr. from German Music: J. Eccard (1553-1611)
We stand
Reading
Luke 2.22-28
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), 24and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’ 25
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
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Choir
Luke 2.29-32 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation; which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; to be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel. 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. Words: Luke 2.29-32 Music: G. Dyson (1883-1964)
Reading
Luke 2.33-40
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’ 36
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him. We sit
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Prayers Let us pray to the Father through Christ who is our light and life. Father, your Christ is acclaimed as the glory of Israel: look in mercy on your Church, sharing his light. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Father, your Christ in his temple brings judgement on the world: look in mercy on the nations, who long for his justice. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Father, your Christ, who was rich, for our sakes became poor: look in mercy on the needy, suffering with him. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Father, your Christ is the one in whom faithful servants find their peace: look in mercy on the departed, that they may see your salvation. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Father, your Christ is revealed as the one destined to be rejected: look in mercy on us who now turn towards his passion. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna, and showed them the infant King. Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises, and the patience to wait for their fulfilment; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Collect Lord Jesus Christ, light of the nations and glory of Israel: make your home among us, and present us pure and holy to your heavenly Father, your God, and our God. Amen.
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The Lord’s Prayer Believing the promises of God, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray 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 today our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who sin 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. We stand
Hymn Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the world adore his sacred name. Bearing our human likeness as his own, in death and suffering Christ took up his throne. (Phil. 2:8)
Sin’s deadly bond which sealed our total loss he set aside and nailed it to the cross. (Col. 2:13)
All nameless powers that human life betray are led as captives on his triumph day. (Col. 2:15)
May we, baptized according to his word, take up his cup and drink it with our Lord. (Mark 10:38) Refrain: G.W. Kitchin (1827-1912) Verses: Stephen Orchard (b.1942); Rejoice and Sing 422 Tune: CRUCIFER; CP 499
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The Dismissal Christ, whose glory fills the skies, fill you with radiance and scatter the darkness from your path. Amen. Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, gladden your eyes and warm your heart. Amen. Christ, the Dayspring from on high, draw near to guide your feet into the way of peace. Amen. And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen. Voluntary: Fugue sur le thème du Carillon des Heures de la Cathédrale de Soissons, Op.12 by M. Duruflé. The organ voluntary is offered as part of our worship
Material in this Order of Service is taken from Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, copyright © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000 and Common Worship: Times & Seasons, copyright © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2006. Scripture readings are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (Anglicised Edition) of the Bible, copyright © 1989, 1994 The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Copyright hymns and songs are reproduced under the Christian Copyright Licensing scheme: licence number 3887. This compilation is copyright © 2021 The Chapter of Bradford. 12