A very warm welcome as you join us to celebrate Candlemas
Here you can find resources for our Sunday liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are
Preparation
Organ Prelude – Louis Vierne: Verset Fugué sur ‘In exitu Israël’
based on the Tonus Peregrinus chant ‘In exitu Israel’, for the ‘Nunc Dimittis’ canticle
Opening
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Collect for Purity
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Gloria (Organ Reflection) – JG Walther: Allein Gott in der Hoh sei Ehr
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God:
as your only-begotten Son was presented and received in the temple,
so may we welcome and proclaim him as the light of the nations and the glory of your people;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
world without end.
Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
You can find the texts of the readings on the pew sheet
First reading: Malachi 3.1-4 (Andrew Pont)
Psalm 84
Please say the psalm, pausing shortly at the asterisk *
Refrain: Happy are they who dwell in your house!
How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
The sparrow has found her a house and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.
Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.
Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs, *
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
hearken, O God of Jacob.
Behold our defender, O God; *
and look upon the face of your anointed.
For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, *
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is both sun and shield; *
he will give grace and glory;
No good thing will the Lord withhold *
from those who walk with integrity.
O Lord of hosts, *
happy are they who put their trust in you!
Refrain: Happy are they who dwell in your house!
Second reading: Hebrews 2.14-18 (Andrew Pont)
Gospel acclamation (Celtic Alleluia)
Gospel reading: Luke 2.22-40 (The Rector)
Sermon (The Rector)
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord,
the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son, he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Intercessions (led by Alistair Shaw)
Organ Reflection – John Redford: Christe qui lux
This organ piece by the English Tudor composer John Redford is based on the Lenten hymn for Compline
Christe qui lux es et dies,
Noctis tenebras detegis,
Lucisque lumen crederis,
Lumen beatum praedicans.
Christ, who art the light and day,
You drive away the darkness of night,
You are called the light of light,
For you proclaim the blessed light.
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
In church, the service continues with the Eucharistic Prayer, the Breaking of Bread and Communion
The Lord's Prayer
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Thanksgiving and Sending Out
Thanksgiving and Sending Out
You may want to light a candle at home and join in saying:
Lord God, the springing source of everlasting light,
pour into the hearts of your faithful people
the brilliance of your eternal splendour,
that we, who by these kindling flames
light up this temple to your glory,
may have the darkness of our souls dispelled,
and so be counted worthy
to stand before you in that eternal city
where you live and reign,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Father, we have sung your praise with shepherds and angels:
may Christ be born in our hearts today.
Praise to Christ our light.
We have shared in the joy of Simeon and Anna;
help us, like them, to trust your word.
Praise to Christ our light.
We have greeted Jesus, the light of the world;
may we be filled with the light of your love.
Praise to Christ our light.
The Blessing
Christ the Son of God, born of Mary,
fill you with his grace to trust his promises and obey his will;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with us and remain with us always.
Amen.
The Dismissal
We remember the birth of new birth.
Let us shine with the light of your love.
We turn from the crib to the cross.
Let us shine with the light of your love.
We go to carry his light.
Let us shine with the light of your love.
Thanks be to God.
Thank you for joining us for worship from Holy Trinity Church, Stirling
as we celebrate Candlemas
Organ Postlude – CS Lang: Prelude on Moscow
THIS WEEK
Sunday 7th February
EPIPHANY 5
(said in private)
Readings
Isaiah 40.21-31
1 Corinthians 9.16-23
Mark 1.29-39
Lent Book 2021
One of my favourite bits about Lent in the Rule of St Benedict (a rule for monastic life written in the 6th century) is this:
‘During this time of Lent each one is to receive a book from the library, and is to read the whole of it straight through. These books are to be distributed at the beginning of Lent.’
You are invited to join in this exercise at Holy Trinity this Lent. The monks described in our 6th-century text would not all have read the same book – so whatever you may decide to read will be fine (the rule only asks us to stick to it!), but you would also be very welcome to join in reading and discussing the HT Lent Book by the Franciscan monk Richard Rohr:
Richard Rohr, Falling Upward: a spirituality for the two halves of life,
(London, SPCK, 2012)
We grow more spiritually by doing it wrong than by doing it right. In Falling Upward, Fr Richard Rohr offers a new understanding of one’s life most profound mysteries: how our failing can be the foundation for our ongoing spiritual growth. Drawing on the wisdom from time-honoured myths, heroic poems, great thinkers and sacred religious texts, the author explores the two halves of life to show that those who have fallen, failed or ‘gone down’ are the only ones who understand ‘up’. The heartbreaks, disappointments and loves of the first half of life are actually stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second half has in store for us.’
Online Space will be offered to discuss aspects of the book and our response to it via Zoom (on Thursdays during Lent at 7.30 p.m.), but just to join in reading the book would be fine!
