St Patrick preaching to the kings. Carlow Cathedral, Ireland Photo: Andreas F. Borchert, Creative Commons
SONG: ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
Artist: Choir of Wells Cathedral, Malcolm Archer (dir), Rupert Gough (organ)
Words/Music: St Francis of Assisi paraphrased Draper/Anon
Recording: Griffin GCCD 4010
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
SONG: THE LORD’S MY SHEPHERD
Artist: Choir of Temple Church
Words/Music: Psalm 23 paraphrased Rous/Irvine
Recording: EMI 948306
The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want;
he makes me down to lie
in pastures green; he leadeth me
the quiet waters by.
My soul he doth restore again,
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
e'en for his own name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill;
for thou art with me, and thy rod
and staff me comfort still.
My table thou hast furnishèd
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me;
and in God's house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.
SONG: PSALM 130 – OUT OF THE DEEP
Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: Psalm 130/Purcell adapted Turle
Recording: Virgin 545036
Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint.
If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercy with thee; therefore shalt thou be feared.
I look for the Lord; my soul doth wait for him; in his word is my trust.
My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch; I say, before the morning watch.
O Israel, trust in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel from all his sins.
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.
SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG
Artist: Viva Voce, John Rosser (dir), Michael Bell (piano)
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Barry Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Refrain:
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
This is our faith: trouble may break us,
grief overtake us, sickness and death,
this is our creed: no place so distant
God is not present, knowing our need,
Refrain:
Powers of our day, angel and devil,
danger and evil make their own play;
God's love is sure, unseen but seeing
heart of our being, comfort and cure,
Refrain:
Never alone, though human error,
turmoil or terror shake every bone,
hope is our song: hope that is joyous,
born with Christ Jesus, where we belong,
Refrain:
SONG: THE LORD’S PRAYER
Artist: Durham Street Methodist Church Choir
Words/Music: Lord's Prayer/Wallace Woodley
Recording: Private
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
forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil
for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and forever,
Amen.
SONG: DEEP IN THE HUMAN HEART
Artist: Jubilate Singers
Words/Music: Bill Wallace/Ellor
Recording: Private
Deep in the human heart
The fires of justice burn;
With visions of a world renewed
Through radical concern.
As Christians we are called
To set the captives free,
To overthrow the evil powers
And end hypocrisy.
This is our task today,
To build a world of peace;
A world of justice, freedom, truth,
Where kindness will increase;
A world from hunger freed,
A world where people share,
Where every person is of worth
And no-one lives in fear.
Taking the step of faith,
We leave the past behind
And move into the future’s world
With open heart and mind.
By grace we work with Christ,
As one community,
To bring new hope and fuller life
To all humanity.
SONG: ST PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
Artist: Choirs of Belfast Cathedral
Words/Music: Anon trans Alexander/Stanford
Recording: Priory PRCD 826
I bind unto myself today
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The three in one and one in three.
I bind this day to me forever,
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
His baptism in the Jordan River,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spicéd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, his might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, his shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
The three in one and one in three,
Of whom all nature has creation,
Eternal father, spirit, word.
Praise to the lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord!
Amen.
SONG: AN IRISH BLESSING
Artist: Choir of Belfast Cathedral
Words/Music: Anon/Trad arr Stanford
Recording: Priory PRCD 826
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
