大象传媒

路听听听听听听听听 Please note: This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast. It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.听听<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />听

VERY REV KELVIN HOLDSWORTH:

Good morning and welcome to St Mary鈥檚.听 Day will dawn in Glasgow during this service so we find ourselves praying as the sun comes up. The sky outside is changing from monochrome dark grey to diverse shades and colours. As it does so, we meet as a diverse group of people in company with communities of praying people through the ages who have sought and found God in the first light of the day.

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For as the light scatters the darkness of night this morning, we remember that God has come into the world to work with us today, for a better tomorrow.

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After a greeting of peace from our celebrant, Fr Chukwuemeka Iwuagwu, we will sing our first hymn which is by local hymn-writers, John Bell and Graham Maule.

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FATHER IWUAGWU:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

ALL: Amen 听听听听

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MUSIC:听 HYMN 鈥� CH4 211听 TODAY I AWAKE AND GOD IS BEFORE ME

+ OBOE

(John Bell/Graham Maule; Tune - Slithers of Gold)

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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.

KELVIN:

One of the psalms set for today is Psalm 139. It speaks of an incredible intimacy between God and human beings and makes the bold claim that there is nowhere that we can go that is far from God鈥檚 presence. We will keep returning to that psalm as we share communion in this Eucharist and as we pray for peace and justice for the peoples of the world.听 Having those hopes in mind we make our confession. God is love and we are God鈥檚 children. 听There is no room for fear in love. We love because God loved us first. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.

CHUKS leads: ALL join in -

God our Father, we confess to you and to our fellow members in the body of Christ that we have sinned in thought, word and deed, and in what we have failed to do. We are truly sorry. Forgive us our sins, and deliver us from the power of evil. For the sake of your Son who died for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

CHUKS:

God, who is both power and love, forgive you and free you from your sins, heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit and raise you to new life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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CHUKS:听 COLLECT FOR THE DAY

In the first light of day O God, you call us by name. Make our ears attentive to your voice and our spirits eager to respond, that having heard you in Jesus your anointed one, we may draw others to be his disciples. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. ALL:听 Amen

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MUSIC 鈥� CHOIR/ORGAN/OBOE:听 HYMN - O GOD, YOU SEARCH ME AND YOU

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 KNOW ME听听 听听听听听听听听听CH4 97:听 PSALM 139 鈥� Bernadette Farrell

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KATE:听 GOSPEL READING听 John 1: 43-51

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The Holy Gospel is written in the Gospel of John, Chapter 1 beginning at Verse 43.

ALL:听 Glory to Christ our Saviour.

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, 鈥淔ollow me.鈥� Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 鈥淲e have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.鈥� Nathanael said to him, 鈥淐an anything good come out of Nazareth?鈥� Philip said to him, 鈥淐ome and see.鈥�

[When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, 鈥淗ere is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!鈥� Nathanael asked him, 鈥淲here did you get to know me?鈥� Jesus answered, 鈥淚 saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.鈥� Nathanael replied, 鈥淩abbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!鈥� Jesus answered, 鈥淒o you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.鈥� And he said to him, 鈥淰ery truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.鈥� ]

Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel.

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ALL:听 Praise to Christ our Lord.

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KELVIN: SERMON

When we follow Jesus, we follow into a whole set of traditions that remind us that God is with us 鈥� here, right here in the world.

A few weeks ago now we were in high festival mode in this church, as in most churches. Now the Christmas trees are gone. The baubles are packed away. The candle-ends have been removed from the windowsills and sent off for recycling. And there is only the barest whiff of incense in the air from the feast of the Epiphany.

But the church offers us time to reflect on what we have encountered. For Epiphany is a season not a one off event. It鈥檚 a time for reflecting on what it means to live in a world that God has chosen to come into and to be known in.

Very often I talk about God being a God of surprises and say that when we get to know God we should expect the unexpected.

But looking through the verses of Psalm 139, verses of which we heard the choir sing a few moments ago in that setting by Bernadette Farrell, perhaps the big drama of the Christmas story should never have surprised us. For they too tell us that God is with us.

Most religions have patterns of behaviour and rhythms built into them. Across many traditions, the idea of praying at the start and the end of the day is common.

The psalms were clearly part of a cycle of prayer and they still form the backbone of daily prayer for millions of people every day. It isn鈥檛 hard to hear in Psalm 139 part of that ancient rhythm of reminding oneself early in the day that God is present.

The psalmist sings 鈥淵ou know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 听You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.鈥�

Prayer is offered here in this building every day. Whether there are just a few of us gathered in the little oratory behind me as is the case on some days, or whether it is a day when the place is packed out with people celebrating a festival or a morning like this when we share our prayer with people listening on the radio, this is a place where prayer is offered every morning.

I remember when I was working in a university chaplaincy knowing one of the people in the mail room who, if he saw me going back to the chaplaincy would call after me, 鈥淪ay one for me 鈥� don鈥檛 forget, say one for me鈥�.

And we do. We pray each day here for the world around us, for people in need. We remember those who mourn and those who are sick. The rhythm of prayer means that prayers are offered not simply for the peoples of the world who need it but also because some are too sick to be able to pray clearly, some are travelling, some are on the run, some are anxious and find it hard to be still.

Every time we pray, it is like a little Christmas for every time we pray we live out the truth that God is with us in the world and with us in every kind of setting that we encounter.

God is with us in the bright days when all seems well. And God is with us on the down days too. God is with us when we know it. And God is with us when we struggle to recognise it. God is with us when we pray consoling words in a holy place. But God is with us in every other time and place too.

鈥淲here can I go from God鈥檚 spirit? Or where can I flee from God鈥檚 presence?鈥� asks the psalmist. And the answer is that there is nowhere that is separate from God at all. Everywhere we go, God is already there.

Years ago when widespread acceptance of the internet was relatively new, I got involved in a project where a church put a webpage up asking for prayer requests. The idea was that a small congregation would pray through the requests at a lunchtime service each week.

Word got out in the press that this was available and within a few weeks the prayer requests were flooding in. Hundreds a day were coming in. Thousands. And for a time, baskets containing printouts of the prayers were being placed on the altar of the church to represent the prayers being offered before God.

The truth is though that we are already surrounded by prayer because Christians pray for the world every day. And we are already close to God 鈥� and our psalms are amongst the many promises in the bible that tell us so.

The world is troubling at the moment. Massacres happen on the streets of western capital cities and in places far from the eye of the media too.

It鈥檚 easy to feel unsettled and fearful.听 Indeed, it is entirely reasonable to feel that way.

And it鈥檚 easy to get drawn into wondering how to keep faith when such things happen. But Psalm 139 tells us that wherever people weep or feel afraid, God is already there with them. 听For God鈥檚 love is everywhere. And I believe it is God鈥檚 spirit which prompts people of goodwill to draw together to overcome fear and build a better world.

I believe that peace and justice will come to our world and trust that God is collaborating in our lives to help us to bring peace to pass. We must never be cheated into thinking that hatred and violence are the way the world really is.

For God is with us in the troubled, perplexing but ultimately wonderful world. And with God, love is always the last word on how things should be.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

MUSIC 鈥� CHOIR:听 Anthem: 听OUT OF THE STILLNESS听 Richard Shephard

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KELVIN:听 The sun has arisen with life for the world.听 With that thought fresh in our minds from Richard Shephard鈥檚 anthem, Kate Mackenzie will now lead our prayers.

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KATE & CONGREGATION: INTERCESSIONS

Living God
the sun shines on people throughout your world
as this day begins, help us to pray.

Lord in your mercy,
ALL:听 Hear our prayer.

Eternal God
there is nowhere that we can go that is away from you
hear us as we pray for those who feel lost or sad or far from any love.

Lord in your mercy,
ALL:听 Hear our prayer.

Living presence
your light shines in the darkness
hear us as we remember those who have a difficult day ahead.

Lord in your mercy,
ALL:听 Hear our prayer.

Ever present God,
you came and involved yourself in the business of the world
help us to pray for peace and justice
and to seize every opportunity to make tomorrow better than today.

Lord in your mercy,
ALL:听 Hear our prayer.

God of the universe,
you came to a particular time and place that we could know you in every place and at all times
hear us as we pray for peaceful streets, peaceful homes and peaceful hearts.

For we pray in the company of the saints of the ages and of all who yearn for peace,
in the power of your Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ.
ALL:听 Amen

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CHUKS: PEACE听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Jesus comes to wherever disciples gathered in the first light of day and says 鈥淧eace be with you鈥�. We meet in Christ鈥檚 name.

ALL:听 Let us share his peace [Congregation exchange peace]

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KELVIN:

For our offertory hymn, we return to Psalm 139 secure in its promise that wherever we go in life, God is already there with us:听 鈥淵ou are before me, Lord, You are behind鈥�.

MUSIC:听 Hymn 鈥� YOU ARE BEFORE ME, LORD 听听听听(CH4 96; Tune: Sursum Corda)

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CHUKS:听听 EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

The Lord be with you.听 ALL:听 And also with you.

Lift up your hearts. ALL:听 We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
ALL:听 听It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Worship and praise belong to you, Father, in every place and at all times. All power is yours. You created the heavens and established the earth; you sustain in being all that is. In Christ your Son our life and yours are brought together in a wonderful exchange. He made his home among us
that we might for ever dwell in you.

Through your Holy Spirit you call us to new birth in a creation restored by love. As children of your redeeming purpose we offer you our praise,
with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven, singing the hymn of your unending glory:听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听

MUSIC - CHOIR:听 SANCTUS & BENEDICTUS 听James Macmillan; St Anne Mass

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CHUKS:

Glory and thanksgiving be to you, most loving Father, for the gift of your Son born in human flesh. He is the Word existing beyond time, both source and final purpose, bringing to wholeness all that is made.
Obedient to your will he died upon the Cross. By your power you raised him from the dead. He broke the bonds of evil and set your people free to be his Body in the world.

On the night when he was given up to death, knowing that his hour had come, having loved his own, he loved them to the end.

At supper with his disciples he took bread and offered you thanks.
He broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying: 'Take, eat. This is my Body: it is broken for you.'

After supper, he took the cup, he offered you thanks, and gave it to them saying: 'Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new covenant; it is poured out for you, and for all, that sins may be forgiven. Do this in remembrance of me.'听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

ALL:听 We now obey your Son's command.
We recall his blessed passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension; and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.
Made one with him, we offer you these gifts
and with them ourselves, a single, holy, living sacrifice.听听听

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CHUKS:

Hear us, most merciful Father, and send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread and this wine, that, overshadowed by his life-giving power, they may be the Body and Blood of your Son, and we may be kindled with the fire of your love and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

ALL:听 Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ's Body
to live and work to your praise and glory;
may we grow together in unity and love
until at last, in your new creation,
we enter into our heritage
in the company of the Virgin Mary, the apostles and prophets,
and of all our brothers and sisters living and departed.

CHUKS

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be to you, Lord of all ages, world without end. ALL:听 Amen.

CHUKS:听 BREAKING OF BREAD

The living bread is broken for the life of the world.

ALL:听 Lord, unite us in this sign.

KATE AND THE CONGREGATION: LORD'S PRAYER听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

KATE:听 As our Saviour has taught us, so we pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,听 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 forever. Amen.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

kelvin:听 INVITATION TO COMMUNION

Jesus says: 鈥榃hoever comes to me shall never hunger.
Whoever believes in me shall never thirst.鈥�

ALL:听 听听We taste the bread of life and the wine of heaven.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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MUSIC - CHOIR:听 AGNUS DEI 听听听听听James Macmillan; St Anne Mass

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CHUKS:听听 THANKSGIVING AND SENDING OUT

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.
ALL:听 And his mercy endures forever.

CHUKS LEADS; ALL JOIN IN:

Gracious God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son, Jesus Christ. May we, who share his body, live his risen life; we, who drink his cup, bring life to others; we, whom the Spirit lights, give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so that we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord.听 Amen.

CHUKS:

May the light of Christ shine upon you every moment of this day: And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. ALL:听 听Amen.

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KELVIN:

For our closing hymn, we turn again to a local hymn writer. Kathy Galloway鈥檚 hymn reminds us that as the drama of daybreak occurs each morning, we have a job to do, challenging evil and tyranny in the company of the saints who have gone before us.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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MUSIC:听 OFFERTORY HYMN 鈥撎� SING FOR GOD鈥橲 GLORY

(CH4 172 - Words: Kathy Galloway / Tune: Lobe Den Herren)

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KELVIN:听 COLLECTS

Eternal God, your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world. May your people, illumined by your word and sacraments, shine with the radiance of Christ鈥檚 glory that he may be known, worshipped and adored to the ends of the earth; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

God most holy, we give you thanks for bringing us out of the shadow of night into the light of morning; and we ask you for the joy of spending this day in your service, so that when evening comes, we may once more give you thanks, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

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KELVIN:听 DISMISSAL

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Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

ALL:听 In the name of Christ.听 Amen听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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MUSIC: 听ORGAN听 VOLUNTARY

J S Bach听 Prelude in C听 BWV 547i

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