大象传媒

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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.

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大象传媒听Radio 4 Sunday Worship

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A Service of Reflection from St Ann鈥檚 Church, Manchester,
following the bomb attack at The Manchester Arena

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Led by the Revd Nigel Ashworth, Rector of St Ann鈥檚, and Canon Marcia Wall of Manchester Cathedral.

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Sunday 28 May 2017听 0810-0849

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Director of Music:听Simon Passmore

Organist:听听Tomek Pieczora

Producer:听听Stephen Shipley

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Radio 4 Opening Announcement: 大象传媒 Radio 4 It鈥檚 ten past eight 鈥� time for this week鈥檚 Sunday Worship, which 鈥� in a change to the advertised programme 鈥� comes from St Ann鈥檚 Church in Manchester. It鈥檚 led by the Rector, the Rev鈥檇 Nigel Ashworth, and Canon Marcia Wall of Manchester Cathedral.

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Welcome听听Nigel Ashworth

Good morning. I welcome you to St Ann鈥檚 here in the heart of Manchester as we have welcomed thousands of people since the horrendous bombing on Monday at the Manchester Arena. The Arena is a much-loved venue familiar to millions who have enjoyed concerts or sporting events there. On Monday evening it became a place of carnage where we lost over twenty young lives and many were seriously injured.

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This came in a week when we celebrate the Ascension of Christ. The apostles waited between his going from them and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. In all the years since then, Christians have had to face times of waiting before they have experienced his abiding presence. And there have been so many struggles with evil along the way. Ascension tells us that, despite what we sometimes face, Christ is Lord of heaven and earth鈥�,听Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Saviour, Master, King.

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Music: Hymn 鈥� Christ triumphant (Guiting Power) Michael Saward

This Week 1听Revd Nigel Ashworth

For most of us the first reaction to the news of the suicide bomb was shock. But quickly, across the city and here in St Ann鈥檚, came something different. It was defiance. We were not going to have our way of life, in which we cherish the children and communities of our city, trashed by an act of evil conceived out of hatred.

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So, as the world鈥檚 media descended here they found a determined resolve. Very quickly a multi-faith vigil was organised in front of Manchester鈥檚 Town Hall. It was a feat of organisation. Thousands of our citizens gathered. Party leaders and the Speaker of the House of Commons came together with our Mayor and civic and religious leaders. The speeches were electrifying 鈥� but this was not rabble rousing. Instead, decency, humanity and citizenship were to the fore.

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And the city found its voice in the poet Tony Walsh, known as Longfella. His听This is The Place听was a passionate evocation of the Manchester we love, a city which has resources of creativity and humanity which overcomes division. Our forefathers and foremothers have forged a community which we build on today:

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Words from Longfella poem

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Like the other speeches, Longfella鈥檚 poem led to a wave of applause. And applause was the response to our national one-minute silence as well, with a cry of 鈥淲ell done, Manchester鈥�. Part of the crowd spontaneously broke into 鈥楧on鈥檛 look back in anger鈥� by Oasis. It was surprising and moving.

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A J Singh is a Manchester taxi driver and a practising Sikh. On Monday night he heard the news, and immediately got down to the Arena. He ferried injured concert-goers to hospital and helped others to finds their family members. The day after he went round the Accident & Emergency wards giving out food and in the city centre giving out flowers. This is what we find impressive and inspiring 鈥� practical care and a message of solidarity rooted in a faith and shown across a city.

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On Monday we felt this was all under attack. In our prayer we cry to God, here in the words of Psalm 46 sung by the choir of St Ann鈥檚:

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Music: Psalm 46听鈥� God is our hope and strength (after Luther) 鈥� omit vv.9-10

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Reading: Romans 8 vv.18-26听Canon Marcia Wall

A reading from Paul鈥檚 Letter to the Romans, Chapter 8

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Music - Kyrie Eleison (William Byrd)

Kyrie eleison,
Christe Eleison,
Kyrie eleison.

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Meditation Prayer Revd Nigel Ashworth & Canon Marcia Wall

You keep us waiting鈥�.a prayer from the Iona Community

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This Week 2 Revd Nigel Ashworth

The acts of remembrance began early on Tuesday when a man brought a bunch of flowers into the church. We placed them at the font where people are baptized. Then more flowers came 鈥� and were placed vary carefully outside the church along the wall. Soon there were so many that a huge fragrant carpet of flowers, cards and candles started to fill the Square outside the church.

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Then came the world鈥檚 media, reporters and TV crews from everywhere looking for answers. People laying flowers became their focus.

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In church we opened a Book of Condolence 鈥� and queues have formed to sign it. Messages are heartfelt, prayerful, distressed and questioning. Those who died and the injured are remembered. The sharp question 鈥淲hy鈥� comes in many messages.

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God takes our 鈥淲hy鈥� seriously. We know this because Jesus cried from the cross 鈥淲hy have you forsaken me?鈥� Where, O where, can God be in all this suffering? The apostle Paul wrote about the Holy Spirit at work within us. He said the Spirit 鈥渉elps us in our weakness for we do not know how to pray as we ought鈥�.

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These words have been with me all week. With all the pain, anger and sadness we feel 鈥� and with all the pride we have in the solidarity shown across the city, how do we pray? What we find is that the Spirit is praying for us and with us 鈥� and with sighs too deep for words. This was certainly true on Wednesday when we saw many more people in church with tears.

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Our former Director of Music, Ronald Frost, wrote music for John Henry Newman鈥檚 hymn听Lead Kindly Light.听Ronald was much loved and we sang it at his funeral. Here we sing it as a prayer for Manchester.

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Music: Anthem 鈥� Lead kindly light听(鈥楲oppergarth鈥� Ronald Frost)

John Henry Newman

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This Week 3 Canon Marcia Wall

Manchester Cathedral where I work shared in serving the people of the city with St Ann鈥檚. It was hard for us to be locked out of our building because The Arena is almost next door. We decided to organise prayer on the streets so that our life of prayer could be maintained. But were joined by others. Firstly, people who were on the streets like us 鈥� full of pain and sadness and anger too. Then we were joined by faith leaders from different communities. Our Cathedral family comes from many places across the world. We are a sort of microcosm of the whole city 鈥� my original home was Brazil. But this city has made us all welcome and included and we love Manchester.

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Our neighbours in St Ann鈥檚 welcomed the Cathedral in to share their life of prayer and in this way we shared with St Ann鈥檚 in responding to the city鈥檚 tears. This hymn, based on a prayer by Francis of Assisi, Lord, make us servants of your peace seems particularly appropriate:

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Music: Hymn 鈥� Lord, make us servants (O waly, waly)

James Quinn SJ after Francis of Assisi

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Prayers Canon Marcia Wall

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God of all compassion,

we pray for the bereaved,
those facing a future without a child, parent or loved one;
young ones who are in deep distress.

In their lament,

may they know your comfort and peace.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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We pray for the injured;

for those suffering trauma in mind and body.

In their distress,

may they know your healing and peace.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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We pray for our Emergency Services,
the police, hospitals, doctors, nurses and paramedics,

tending to the wounds of our City and to individual needs.

In their acts of service,

may they know your strength and your peace.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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We pray for our leaders;

for all those working for unity and the welfare of all.

In their decision-making and debate,

may they know your guidance and your peace.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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We pray for our vibrant and beautiful city;
diverse and welcoming;
For all born and bred here
and for those who have come to live here

from all four corners of the world,
and now call Manchester home.

In our living together,

grant us perseverance and courage to face the future together.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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And finally, we hold before you those who have died.
Look with compassion, O God, and welcome your children home.
May they know your eternal care.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

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Introduction to the Anthem听The Revd Nigel Ashworth

The metaphysical poet Francis Quarles wrote a beautiful poem which was set to music as part of a tribute to Linda McCartney who died of cancer:

Close now thine eyes and听rest secure;

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Music: Anthem - A Goodnight听(Richard Rodney Bennett)

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Collect for Peace听Canon Marcia Wall

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord,
to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom:
Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies;
that we, surely trusting in your defence,
may not fear the power of any adversaries;
through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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Lord鈥檚 Prayer All

We pray for the coming of God鈥檚 kingdom, saying -

Our Father who art in heaven,听
hallowed be thy name,听
thy kingdom come;听
thy will be done,听
on earth as it is in heaven.听
Give us this day our daily bread.听
And forgive us our trespasses听
as we forgive those

who trespass against us.听
And lead us not into temptation;听
but deliver us from evil.听
For thine is the kingdom,

the power, and the glory

for ever and ever.

Amen.

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Music: Hymn - My song is love unknown (Love Unknown, omit vv.3-5)

Samuel Crossman

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Blessing听The Revd Nigel Ashworth

The Lord bless us;听
the Lord bless our city,听
the Lord bless our nation,听
the Lord bless the peoples of the earth;听
and the blessing of God almighty,听
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,听
be amongst you and remain with you always.听
Amen.

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Music: Anthem 鈥� In Paradisum (Faur茅)

In paradisum deducant te Angeli;
in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres,
et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem.
Chorus angelorum te suscipiat,
et cum Lazaro quondam paupere
忙ternam habeas requiem.

[May the angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs receive you at your arrival
and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem.
May choirs of angels receive you
and with Lazarus, once a poor man,
may you have eternal rest.]

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Radio 4 Closing Announcement:

The last movement of Faur茅鈥檚 Requiem brings to a close todays Sunday Worship which came from St Ann鈥檚 Church Manchester. It was led by the Rev鈥檇 Nigel Ashworth and Canon Marcia Wall. The music was directed by Simon Passmore and the organist was Tomek Pieczora. The producer was Stephen Shipley.听