Thank you for joining us on the Fourth 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: Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott BWV721
Erbarm’ Dich mein o Herre Gott!
nach Deiner groß’n Barmherzigkeit,
wasch’ ab mach’ rein mein’ Missethat,
ich kenn’ mein’ Sünd’ und ist mir leid;
allein ich Dir gesündigt hab’,
das ist wider mich stetiglich;
das Bös’ vor Dir mag nicht bestahn,
Du bleibst gerecht, ob Du urtheilest mich.
Erhart Hegenwalt (1524)
from Psalm 51
O God, be mercyfull to me,
Accordynge to Thy great pitie;
Washe of, make clene my iniquite:
I knowlege my synne, and it greveth me
Agaynst The, agaynst The only
Have Isynned, which is before myne eye:
Though Thou be judged in man’s syght,
Yet are Thy wordes founde true and ryght.
trans. Bishop Myles Coverdale
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
Almighty God,
grant that we, who are weighed down by our sins,
may be relieved and encouraged by your grace;
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: Numbers 21.4-9 (Cate Watson)
Psalm 107.1-3, 17-22
(please say the psalm, pausing shortly at the asterisk *)
Refrain: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; and his mercy endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *
and his mercy endures for ever.
Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim *
that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
He gathered them out of the lands; *
from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
Some were fools and took to rebellious ways; *
they were afflicted because of their sins.
They abhorred all manner of food *
and drew near to death’s door.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, *
and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them *
and saved them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his mercy *
and the wonders he does for his children.
Let them offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and tell of his acts with shouts of joy.
Refrain: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; and his mercy endures for ever.
Second reading: Ephesians 2:1-10 (Cate Watson)
Gospel reading: John 3:14-21 (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 Robert Nellist)
Organ Reflection – JS Bach: Wie nach einer Wasserquelle BWV 1119
Wie nach einer Wasserquelle
ein Hirsch schreiet mit Begier,
also auch mein durst’ge Seele
ruft und schreit, Herr Gott, zu Dir;
nach Dir, o lebend’ger Gott,
sie Durst und Verlangen hat:
Ach, wann soll es denn geschehen,
dass Dein Antlitz ich mag sehen!
Ambrosius Lobwasser (c. 1515-85)
based on Psalm 42
As pants the hart for cooling streams,
When heated in the chase;
So longs my soul, O God, for thee,
And thy refreshing grace.
For thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
O when shall I behold thy face,
Thou Majesty divine!
Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady
An English paraphrase of Psalm 42
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 Fourth Sunday of Lent
Organ Postlude – Georg Andreas Sorge: Fughetta in G minor
THIS WEEK
Thursday 18th March
7.30 p.m. Lent Group meeting via Zoom (Session 4)
Sunday 21st March
LENT 5
10.30 a.m. Holy Communion
(said in private – online resources will be available)
Readings
Jeremiah 31.31-34
Hebrews 5.5-10
John 12.20-33
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:
Thursdays 18th and 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.’
