Father-like, He tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame He knows; In His hands He gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes. Widely as His mercy flows. Words: Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) Angels in the height, adore Him; Ye behold Him face to face; Sun and moon, bow down before Him, Dwellers all in time and space. Praise with us the God of grace! Tune: PRAISE MY SOUL John Goss (1800-1880) Order of Service for Sunday Worship Benediction Remain standing as the Minister departs, after which you are invited to be seated for the playing of the Organ Voluntary, or to leave at this point without disturbing those who wish to listen. Seventh Sunday after Easter (Ascension Sunday) Music after the Service th 13 May 2018 9.30 am Paean Peter Hurford (b.1930) St. Andrews Scots Kirk 73 Galle Road Colombo 3 www.scotskirk.lk Guest Minister: Ven. Chrisantha Mendis Church Officer: K. Sandrakumaran Director of Music: Denham Pereira LTCL Elder on Duty: Jill Macdonald Elder at the door: Mike Anthonisz
Welcome to St. Andrew s Scots Kirk We are a Christian church within the Presbyterian tradition (Church of Scotland) and we are glad to welcome many people, from many different parts of the world, to worship here. We welcome people of all Christian traditions as well as people of other faiths and people of little or no faith. Christian worship of God has been offered here for over 100 years. By worshiping with us today, you become part of that living tradition. The Choir sings 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; Anthem You are welcome to take this order of service with you to reflect on the prayers and readings this coming week but if you would like us to recycle it for you, please leave it at the back of the Church. Thank you for being with us today. If you need any help, please ask the Elder on duty or the Elder at the door who handed you this order of service. Please be assured of our continuing prayers for you when you go back to your homes. Our Guest Preacher this morning is the Ven. Chrisantha Mendis, Vicar, The Church of St. Michael and all angels Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger. Christ the heart of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. Words: Prayer of St. Patrick Music: John Rutter (b. 1945) Our Music this morning will be led by Contempo, The Past Pupils Choir of St. Bridget s Convent directed by Harin Armirthanathan The Ascension marks the end of Jesus earthly ministry. Having helped the disciples to understand the Scriptures, he commissions them to preach the gospel and promises the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which will come ten days later at Pentecost. Now that Jesus is no longer on earth, access to God is no longer dependent on place and time, but it is nevertheless the duty of the newly-commissoned church to become Christ s body on earth, and to go out, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to preach Christ crucified, risen, and ascended and to make new disciples. The ascension is therefore closely connected with the theme of mission. The arrival of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost completes and crowns the Easter Festival. As you prepare for worship, please be sensitive to the needs of those around you who may wish to pray in silence. Please make sure you have switched off your mobile phone or have it on its silent setting. Music before the Service Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn (Today God s Son has triumphed)bwv 630 J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Rhosymedre Ralph V. Williams (1872-1958) Praise my soul, the King of Heaven, To His feet thy tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Who like thee His praise should sing? Praise the everlasting King! Praise Him for His grace and favour To our fathers in distress; Praise Him, still the same forever, Slow to chide, and swift to bless. Glorious in His faithfulness. 11 (continued over)
Words: Matthew Bridges (1800-1894) Crown him the Lord of love; behold his hands and side, rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified; no angels in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends their burning eye at mysteries so bright. Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o er the grave, and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save; his glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die. Crown him the Lord of years, the potentate of time, creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime. All hail, Redeemer, hail! for thou hast died for me; thy praise shall never, never fail throughout eternity. Music: DIADEMATA George Job Elvey (1816-1893) Descant: John Scott (1952-2015) Prayers of Intercession Order of Service The congregation is asked to join in all texts printed in bold At 9.30 am the Church Bell is rung and a Procession of the Bible, the Church officer, the Minister and the Elder on Duty is formed at the back of the Church. All stand as the Bible is brought into Church. O clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm. God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted. Welcome and Call to Worship Responsive Psalm Psalm 47 10 3
Announcements The congregation of St. Andrew s Scots Kirk thanks the Venerable Chrisantha Mendis for taking today s service and Contempo, the past pupils choir of St. Bridget s Convent and their director Harin Amirthanathan for leading the music today. The Next Bible Study will be held on Wednesday 23rd May at 6.00pm at the Manse, led by Mr. Ramesh Schaffter. All are welcome. The Thrift Shop is open on Tuesdays at 11.30am, except on Poya days. Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia! to his throne above the skies; Alleluia! Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia! enters now the highest heaven! Alleluia! Sharing of Peace There for him high triumph waits; Alleluia! lift your heads, eternal gates! Alleluia! he hath conquered death and sin; Alleluia! take the King of glory in! Alleluia! Lo! the heaven its Lord receives, Alleluia! yet he loves the earth he leaves; Alleluia! though returning to his throne, Alleluia! still he calls mankind his own. Alleluia! See! he lifts his hands above; Alleluia! See! he shows the prints of love: Alleluia! Hark! his gracious lips bestow, Alleluia! blessings on his Church below. Alleluia! Still for us he intercedes, Alleluia! his prevailing death he pleads, Alleluia! near himself prepares our place, Alleluia! he the first fruits of our race. Alleluia! Lord, though parted from our sight, Alleluia! far above the starry height, Alleluia! grant our hearts may thither rise, Alleluia! seeking thee above the skies. Alleluia! Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne. Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own. Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee, and hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity. (continued over) Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788) Tune: LLANFAIR Robert Williams (1782-1818) 4 9
The Choir sings Anthem The Choir sings Prayer Words: Stuart Hine O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder Thy power throughout the universe displayed How great Thou art, how great Thou art How great Thou art, how great Thou art. When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. And when I think of God, His Son not sparing Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart Then I shall bow with humble adoration And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art How great Thou art, how great Thou art How great Thou art, how great Thou art 8 Music: Swedish Folk Melody Arranged by Dan Forrest 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 this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass 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. 5 Music: John Tavener (1944-2013) Arranged by Barry Rose (b.1934) First Reading read by Lakshmi Seneviratne While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. This, he said, is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. The Ascension of Jesus So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel? He replied, It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. Acts 1: 4-11 This is the Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
The Second Reading Love One Another For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We must not be like Cain who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother s righteous. Do not be astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God s love abide in anyone who has the world s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:11-20 Word incarnate, truth revealing, Son of Man on earth! power and majesty concealing by your humble birth: Yours the glory and the crown, the high renown, the eternal name. This is the Word of the Lord Thanks be to God. Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated, victim crucified! death is through the cross defeated, sinners justified: Refrain Priestly king, enthroned for ever high in heaven above! sin and death and hell shall never stifle hymns of love: Refrain So, our hearts and voices raising through the ages long, ceaselessly upon you gazing, this shall be our song: Refrain Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Saviour, Master, King! Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining, hear us as we sing: Yours the glory and the crown, the high renown, the eternal name. (continued over) Words: Michael Saward (1932-2015) Tune: GUITING POWER John Barnard (b.1948) Sermon Offering & Dedication 6 7