Thank you for joining us on the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Here you can find resources for our Sunday liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are
Preparation
Organ Prelude – JS Bach: O Mensch, bewein dein’ Sünde gross BWV 622
O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß,
Darum Christus seins Vaters Schoß
Äußert und kam auf Erden;
Von einer Jungfrau rein und zart
Für uns er hie geboren ward,
Er wollt der Mittler werden,
Den Toten er das Leben gab
Und legt dabei all Krankheit ab
Bis sich die Zeit herdrange,
Daß er für uns geopfert würd,
Trüg unser Sünden schwere Bürd
Wohl an dem Kreuze lange!
Sebald Heyden (1530)
O man, weep for your great sins
Because of which Christ left his Father’s bosom
And came upon the earth;
From a young woman pure and gentle
He was born here for us.
He wanted to become our mediator,
To the dead he gave life
And removed in this way all sickness
Until the time came
When he was sacrificed for us,
Bore the heavy burden of our sins
For a long time on the cross.
translator unknown
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.
Organ Reflection – William Byrd: Kyrie (Mass for Three Voices)
The Collect
Merciful God,
look upon your family as we travel to the foot of the cross:
and, by your great goodness, guide us in body;
that, by your protection, we may also be preserved in heart and mind;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
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: Jeremiah 31.31-34 (Eleanor Williams)
Psalm 51.1-13
(please say the psalm, pausing shortly at the asterisk *)
Refrain: A clean heart create in me, O God.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; *
in your great compassion blot out my offences.
Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, *
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you only have I sinned *
and done what is evil in your sight.
And so you are justified when you speak *
and upright in your judgement.
Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
a sinner from my mother’s womb.
For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
wash me, and I shall be clean indeed.
Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the body you have broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins *
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
Give me the joy of your saving help again *
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
Refrain: A clean heart create in me, O God.
Second reading: Hebrews 5.5-10 (Eleanor Williams)
Gospel reading: John 12.20-33 (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 Nick Morris)
Organ Reflection – JG Walther: Jesu leiden, pein und tod
Jesus suffering, pain and death
The Liturgy of the Sacrament
The Rector will celebrate the Eucharist at Holy Trinity
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
A Blessing is pronounced:
Christ give us grace to grow in holiness,
to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him;
and may the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Thank you for joining us at Holy Trinity Church, Stirling for the Fifth Sunday of Lent
Organ Postlude – Johann Pachelbel: Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund
One of the Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross:
On the cross Jesus hung
THIS WEEK
Thursday 25th March 7.30 p.m.
Lent Group meeting via Zoom (Session 5)
Sunday 28th March
PALM SUNDAY
(said in private)
Readings
Isaiah 50.4-9a
Philippians 2.5-11
Mark 14.1-15.47
BISHOP’S LENT APPEAL
One of the two charities that the Bishop is encouraging us to support this Lent is Start Up Stirling, a charity that is very familiar to Holy Trinity. We are used to collecting items to contribute to the designated box in the church porch. We can’t do that at present. However we can make a donation. £10 pays for the Start Up van to make a Foodbank delivery.
Start Up welcomes donations and it is straightforward to give
+ online at: https://www.startupstirling.org.uk
+ or you can send a cheque to
Start Up Stirling, 16B Whitehouse Road, Stirling FK7 7SP
In addition we can buy an item on Start Up’s Amazon wish-list page.
If you can, do take a look at it as there is a good range of items and prices.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/2CT04HHWBMXV8?ref_=wl_share
Lent Book 2021
The Lent Book at Holy Trinity this year will be Falling Upward: a spirituality for the two halves of life by the Franciscan monk and spiritual teacher Richard Rohr.
Do consider joining us in reading the book (which can be bought online from all major bookshops or downloaded as an e-book) – if you’d like to discuss aspects of what you’ve read or what others make of it, do join us for our Lent Group via Zoom:
Thursday 25th March at 7.30 p.m.
Do let the Rector know if you’re interested.
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.’
