Thank you for joining us on the Third Sunday of Lent
Here you can find resources for our Sunday liturgy to pray at home or wherever you are
Preparation
Organ Prelude – Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele
Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele,
laß die dunkle Sündenhöhle,
komm ans helle Licht gegangen,
fange herrlich an zu prangen!
Denn der Herr, voll Heil und Gnaden,
will dich jetzt zu Gaste laden;
der den Himmel kann verwalten,
will jetzt Herberg’ in dir halten.
Johann Franck (1649)
Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness,
leave the gloomy haunts of sadness;
come into the daylight’s splendour,
therewith joy thy praises render
unto Christ whose grace unbounded
hath this wondrous banquet founded.
Higher o’er all the heav’ns he reigneth,
yet to dwell with thee he deigneth.
trans. Catherine Winkworth (1863)
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 Father,
we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves:
when we are discouraged by our weakness,
give us strength to follow Christ, our pattern and our hope;
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: Exodus 20.1-17 (Mary Kenyon)
Psalm 19
(please say the psalm, pausing shortly at the asterisk *)
Refrain: You, Lord, have the words of eternal life.
The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,
Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.
In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; *
the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offence.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Refrain: You, Lord, have the words of eternal life.
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 1.18-25 (Mary Kenyon)
Gospel reading: John 2.13-22 (The Rector)
Sermon (The Revd Val Nellist)
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 Cate Watson)
Please join in the final prayer:
O God, whose will it is
that all should find salvation
and come to know the truth:
receive the prayers and petitions
which we offer in faith and love;
through him who gave proof of your purpose,
and who sacrificed himself to win freedom for all humankind,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Organ Reflection – Georg Philip Telemann: O Lamme Gottes, unschuldig
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 Third Sunday of Lent
Organ Postlude – Johann Pachelbel: Arietta (Theme and Variations 1 & 2)
THIS WEEK
Thursday 11th March
7.30 p.m. Lent Group meeting via Zoom (Session 3)
Sunday 14th March
LENT 4
10.30 a.m. Holy Communion
(said in private – online resources will be available)
Readings
Numbers 21.4-9
Ephesians 2.1-10
John 3.14-21
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 11th, 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.’
