Thank you for joining us as we celebrate the Sunday before Lent
Here you can find resources for our Sunday liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are
Preparation
Organ Prelude – CS Lang: Hymntune Prelude on Galilee
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 God,
whose Son, Jesus Christ, was wonderfully transfigured
before chosen witnesses upon the holy mountain,
and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at Jerusalem:
give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross,
that, in the world to come, we may see him as he is;
through the same 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: 2 Kings 2.1-12 (Graeme Young)
Psalm 50.1-6
(please say the psalm, pausing shortly at the asterisk *)
Refrain: Our God will come and will not keep silence.
The Lord, the God of gods, has spoken; *
he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *
God reveals himself in glory.
Our God will come and will not keep silence; *
before him there is a consuming flame, and round about him a raging storm.
He calls the heavens and the earth from above *
to witness the judgement of his people.
‘Gather before me my loyal followers, *
those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice.’
Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; *
for God himself is judge.
Refrain: Our God will come and will not keep silence.
Second reading: 2 Corinthians 4.3-6 (Graeme Young)
Gospel acclamation (Celtic Alleluia)
Gospel reading: Mark 9.2-9 (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 Val Nellist) 000
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
A Blessing is pronounced:
The peace of God which passes all understanding,
keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord:
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 our celebration of the Sunday before Lent
Organ Postlude – CS Lang: Hymntune Prelude on Regent’s Square
THIS WEEK
Wednesday 17th February
ASH WEDNESDAY
Holy Communion
(said in private – online resources will be available)
Readings
Isaiah 58.1-12
2 Corinthians 5.20b-6.10
Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21
Sunday 21st February
LENT 1
10.30 a.m. Holy Communion
(said in private – online resources will be available)
Readings
Genesis 9.8-17
1 Peter 3.18-22
Mark 1.9-15
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 25th February & 4th, 11th, 18th and 18th 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.’
