大象传媒

Opening anno from Continuity: 大象传媒 Radio 4. The Bishop of Birmingham The Rt Revd David Urquhart is the preacher now on Sunday Worship which comes live from Solihull School Chapel. The service is introduced by the School's Chaplain, Father Andrew Hutchinson:

Fr Andrew:
Good morning.听 We welcome you to the home of this thriving Christian community in the heart of the West Midlands. We believe ourselves to be unique in being the only day school offering weekly Sunday worship 鈥� a spiritual centre of gravity for staff and pupils alike across the academic year.

Our chapel choirs will lead the singing this morning 鈥� and we are delighted to welcome Bishop David to preach.

Over the last two days our nation鈥檚 all consuming concerns about our future relationship with the EU and over the state of our national politics may have diminished just slightly. Our perspectives have sharpened as we have paused to mark something of overriding importance, the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.听 Our theme today is 鈥楿nbounded Love鈥�, but that Christian ideal will be explored through the lens of remembrance as we remember those who gave so much. Our first hymn looks back in thanks to God 鈥� 鈥楲ord for the Years your Love has kept and guided.鈥�

Hymn 1 鈥� Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided听
[Organ, with choir/trumpet descant in final verse]

Father Andrew:
And so we gather today with the jarring images of the waste and ruin of war imprinted on our minds and imaginations, to remember all those who were involved in the Battle of the Somme. We honour the memory of those who inhabited that war-shattered landscape, those who endured the mud and the blood; those who showed great courage and loyalty to comrades at arms; those who saw the unspeakable sight of bodies broken; those whose minds were numbed by the noise of bombardment, and those whose eyes saw the ugliness of disfigured, weeping and frightened faces. For all who were engaged in combat, those who tended the maimed and injured, the fallen, and for those families who hold in their history the memories of deceased soldiers, we ask for God鈥檚 mercy, and for ourselves, the grace also to remember.

And so as we remember those who fought and those who remained anxiously at home in this community and throughout our country, let us pray that God will heal all memories down the generations and speak a word of peace.

Prayer of Confession
听Lord, for nations and kingdoms shaken by war.
听Lord, have mercy.
All听Lord, have mercy.
听Lord, bring comfort to those who mourn and have suffered loss.
听Christ, have mercy.
All听Christ, have mercy.
听Lord, speak your word of peace and calm our fears.
听Lord, have mercy.
All听Lord, have mercy.

Bishop David:
May the God of all healing and forgiveness
draw you to himself
and cleanse you from your sins,
that you may behold the glory of his Son, Jesus,
and delight in his unbounded love,
Amen.

Father Andrew:
O God our light and our defence,
breathe your gentle Spirit over the wastes of our world.
Protect our memories from the infection of hate,
that we may live free from fear and resentment.
May the light of Christ lead us
out of the valley of the shadow of death
onto paths of reconciliation, forgiveness and peace
for the sake of the world your Son came to save.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.

Father Andrew:
Our Headmaster is David Lloyd:

Headmaster:
It鈥檚 always a humbling experience on November the 11th each year to watch the whole community come together to remember those who fought and died in the First and Second World Wars and so many other conflicts. This overwhelming sense of loss was felt no more strongly than in our schools, with many of the first volunteers in World War 1 being patriotic and enthusiastic pupils 鈥� just like those I see singing in the choir here today. Of the thousands upon thousands of young men who fought in the Great war, 55 were from Solihull school. 10 former Solihull pupils died in the Somme, 4 on the first day. And other communities would have been affected even more deeply. On Remembrance Day each year the school comes together to recall those who gave their lives, that we might enjoy freedom and peace.听

Lieutenant Charles Herbert Lander was a member of the 10th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and came to Solihull School in 1907 at the age of 14. He returned from the war, and his published diaries convey the quite prosaic but intermittently shocking nature of trench warfare.

READER 1:
July 3rd: Still no news but much speculation. During the afternoon a number of us were detailed to report to brigade HQ in the 鈥淭ara-Usna鈥� line. Before moving off in battle order we handed to the quartermaster letters for home: last letters, which he understood were only to be posted if we were killed. What outpourings of love and sentiment had been put into those letters for by this time most of us were thoroughly worked up with the awful waiting. At brigade H.Q. we were kept waiting for hours, sitting huddled up in the trenches nearby; and very little news of importance could we gather.

READER 2:
July 4th: We passed a few of our machine gun posts, all standing to and some rather unpleasant sights as well. One particular made me feel very sick. I slipped when wading through some water and my hand caught hold of something round and slimy, half submerged, which rolled over and shewed it to be the head of a dead British Tommy, whose lower portions were stuck in the slime of trench boards. This was the first dead body I had ever seen. When we arrived at what I presumed to be our old support line, our guide got out of the trench and we moved across the top toward the right. I now began to feel a little bit shaky, as the machine guns appeared to be firing at us and stray bullets were flying about, and as it appeared to me in all directions.

READER 1:
Of course I had lost my bearings; I began to wonder whether our guide was lost also, but he was rather indignant when I mentioned to him that it seemed we were going too far to the right. We were now stumbling along for what seemed miles on slippery shell-torn ground through barbed wire and in and out of the remains of exceptionally deep trenches. We passed what our guide told us was the great mine crater then of a sudden he stopped, saying, 鈥楤attalion HQ Sir鈥� and there was one of our sentries at the top of a dugout 鈥� a German dugout. There we were not worried much by shell fire听 and all the stuff that came over was small and dropped on the battalion on our right 鈥� lucky for us.

Anthem: 听For the Fallen (Peter Irving)听 听听[Chamber Choir, trumpet and organ]

Fr Andrew:
鈥楩or the fallen鈥�, composed by today鈥檚 organist Peter Irving and performed by the Solihull School Chamber Choir and trumpeter Jonathan Sheppard, conducted by Oliver Walker.

Early in St Matthew鈥檚 Gospel we hear how Jesus saw the crowds coming towards him, prompting him to go up a mountainside and sit down in the well-known posture of a rabbi or teacher.听 Jesus had been announcing that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, calling for people to repent. Now, in what has been described as the manifesto of His kingdom, Jesus unveils the foundations and character of life in that kingdom for all generations:

(Matthew 5 : 3 鈥� 12)

Reader 1听Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor:

Reader 2听The Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

Reader 1听Happy are those who mourn:

Reader 2听God will comfort them!

Reader 1听Happy are those who are humble:

Reader 2听They will receive what God has promised!

Reader 1听Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires:

Reader 2听God will satisfy them fully!

Reader 1听Happy are those who are merciful to others:

Reader 2听God will be merciful to them!

Reader 1听Happy are the pure in heart:

Reader 2听They will see God!

Reader 1听Happy are those who work for peace:

Reader 2听God will call them his children!

Reader 1听Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires:

Reader 2听The Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

Reader 1听Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers.听 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven.听 This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.

Fr Andrew:
Our next hymn recalls the humility and obedience of Christ, worthy of our worship and praise.

Hymn 2- From heaven you came, helpless babe,听[organ and cello accompaniment]

Homily听听听听听 Bishop David

Anthem:听 I give to you a new commandment (Peter Nardone) [Chamber Choir]

The Prayers听[Chamber Choir sing sung refrain after each prayer 鈥� 鈥楾he Solihull Intercession鈥� by Simon Phillips, words by Dr Samuel Johnson]

Father Andrew:
Let us pray

Reader 1:
Eternal God, our refuge and strength,
on this day we remember before you
all who experienced the battle on the Somme:
those who faced the terrible waste and devastation,
who fought against all the odds, endured the clinging mud,
and the squalor of the trenches.
We recall with thanksgiving the loyalty shown to comrades and
the bravery of those who overcame their fear,
the courage of those who daily faced the pounding of artillery,
gun-fire and shrapnel.

Choir Refrain 1 - The Solihull Intercession

Reader 2:
Lord, may we never forget the devastating loss of this battle,
the anxiety on the home-front,
and the sacrifices that were made.
Through our remembrances today, strengthen our resolve
to oppose naked aggression, to defend the weak,
and to speak your word of peace in times of conflict and insecurity.

Choir Refrain 2 - The Solihull Intercession

Reader 3:
We pray for our nation living through very different times of uncertainty.
We pray for our political leaders, those who work in the media, for civil servants and business leaders.
O God, our maker and our strength,
from whose love in Christ we can never be parted
either by death or life:
Look in mercy on all for whom we pray this day,
and grant us your protection and peace,
that we may be saved in body and soul,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.听 Amen.

Choir Refrain 3 - The Solihull Intercession
Father Andrew:
As we ask that God鈥檚 will may be done in this and every place, so we pray together as Jesus Christ has taught us:

All:听听Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
for thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.听听 Amen.

Father Andrew:
St Richard, Bishop of Chichester in the 13th century, was well acquainted with hard work and suffering. Though a gifted scholar and lawyer, he was not afraid of physical labour; and as Bishop he found himself a homeless outcast in his own diocese, until King Henry III finally accepted his appointment by the Pope. His famous prayer reflects the commitment and perseverance necessary for anyone who seeks to be a true follower of Jesus.
O most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother,
May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly.]

Anthem:听 A prayer of St Richard of Chichester (Richard Allain)
[all treble and sop voices and organ]

Father Andrew:
鈥楢 Prayer of St Richard of Chichester鈥� by Richard Allain, sung by the Boys鈥� and Girls鈥� choirs here at Solihull School. We end our service today with a statement of intent in light of our forebears who gave so much, and thanking God for his continued care of us. It鈥檚 lead by our Headmaster and Head Girl (tbc), after which Bishop David will give the blessing.
Headmaster:
Let us now pledge ourselves today to live as good neighbours, to honour the past, to care for all who are in need, and to live at peace among ourselves and with all people.

HEAD BOY or GIRL?
听听Lord God, Father of all,
听听we pledge ourselves to serve you,
this neighbourhood and country,
to bring relief to all who are in need,
and comfort to the sad, lonely, and distressed;
Keep us ever mindful of the struggles
and achievements of former generations,
and of this place where we make our home,
now, and in the days to come.
All: 听听Amen.

Bishop David:
May God the Holy Trinity
guard and defend you on every side,
sustain you in times of difficulty,
and strengthen you in faith and hope;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
be with you and all whom you love,
now and always.听
础濒濒:听听础尘别苍.听

Fr Andrew:
In a world torn apart by war, injustice, greed and hatred, God calls us to his unbounded life and love. Love Divine, all loves excelling.

Hymn 3-听 Love divine, all loves excelling,
[Organ with trumpet and choir descant in final verse]

Organ Voluntary

听