大象传媒

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.

RADIO 4 OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT:
大象传媒 Radio 4. It鈥檚 ten past eight and time now for Sunday Worship which comes live from Hull. The preacher is the Bishop of Hull, Alison White, and the service is led by the Reverend Neal Barnes.

NEAL:
Good morning, and welcome to Hull Minster in the centre of the UK鈥檚 City of Culture. For over 700 years this church has been known as Holy Trinity, and has served the growing port town and then city of Kingston upon Hull as its civic church. Last year, in recognition of our role across the whole of our city, the Archbishop of York designated us as Hull Minster 鈥� a hub where people from diverse backgrounds can come to worship, enjoy, explore and belong, and where we come now to praise God the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

ALL: HYMN: Father, Lord of all creation

NEAL:
Today, we gather in our cathedral-sized Nave 鈥� which like much of this city has been going through an exciting period of redevelopment in the last few years. The changes here will enable us to offer worship in many different styles 鈥� from traditional to contemporary, to host all manner of community events, and to be sustainable.

We gather on this Third Sunday of Epiphany to celebrate the revealing of Christ to the world, and later Bishop Alison will be helping us to reflect on one of Jesus鈥� most celebrated miracles 鈥� the turning of water into wine. Here with me are members of our own church family, including our choir, to help lead our worship today. We are delighted to be able to share this act of worship with you, reminding us of the world-wide family of Jesus in this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Let us pray: 聽
听听听听
Heavenly Father,
you have called us in the Body of your Son Jesus Christ
to continue his work of reconciliation
and reveal you to the world.
Forgive us the sins which tear us apart;
give us the courage to overcome our fears
and to seek that unity which is your gift and your will;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Our first reading is taken from Revelation, chapter 19, and is read by Jonathan, one of our choristers.

JONATHAN: (Revelation 19:6-10)
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
鈥淗补濒濒别濒耻箩补丑!
聽聽聽 For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
聽聽聽 and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
聽聽聽 and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
聽聽聽 was given her to wear.鈥�
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God鈥檚 holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, 鈥淲rite this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!鈥� And he added, 鈥淭hese are the true words of God.鈥�
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 鈥淒on鈥檛 do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.鈥�
鈥�
NEAL:
As we hear of the coming wedding banquet of Jesus, to which all his people will be invited, we anticipate being in his wonderful presence in our next hymn, 鈥淭here is a Redeemer鈥�, which also reminds us that our place at that banquet is through the work of Jesus here on earth.

ALL: HYMN: There is a Redeemer

NEAL:
Our second reading, from the second chapter of John鈥檚 gospel, tells of the incident, early on in Jesus鈥� ministry, when he was invited to a wedding and made a rather special and memorable difference to the proceedings! It is read for us by Sarah, who is one of our churchwardens. After which, Bishop Alison will offer the first of her two reflections.

SARAH: John 2:1-11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus鈥� mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus鈥� mother said to him, 鈥淭hey have no more wine.鈥�
4 鈥淲oman, why do you involve me?鈥� Jesus replied. 鈥淢y hour has not yet come.鈥�
5 His mother said to the servants, 鈥淒o whatever he tells you.鈥�
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, 鈥淔ill the jars with water鈥�; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, 鈥淣ow draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.鈥�
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, 鈥淓veryone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.鈥�
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

+ALISON:
Address 1

ALL: HYMN: Songs of thankfulness and praise

+ALISON:
Address 2

CHOIR: ANTHEM: From the rising of the sun (Ouseley]

NEAL:
From the rising of the sun until the going down of the same, my name shall be great 鈥� words from Psalm 113, set to music by Ouseley.

And now Iain, a member of the congregation here at Hull Minster, leads us in our prayers of intercession.

IAIN:
Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

During this season of Epiphany, and at a time when we recall Christ revealing himself to the world, may we let the Holy Spirit enter into our lives and renew your light within us. Lord you wait patiently beside us; open our hearts and minds to let you in; and enable the people of God throughout the world to worship you in spirit and in truth.

Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

CHOIR: Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us (Taize chant)
IAIN:
In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we pray for Christians throughout the world, especially those who worship in fear and are persecuted for their faith. We give thanks that we are free to worship you and share our faith openly in our communities. We pray for all Christian denominations and the leaders of the Church across the United Kingdom, that they 鈥� with and through us 鈥� may work to bring churches together to celebrate your unifying love for all, which is the Father鈥檚 will.

Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

We pray for the world around us, for people whose hurt dominates our news and whose pain and suffering is a picture on screens in our homes. We pray for all who endure the relentless daily cycle of war, famine, corruption and despair. Particularly today we pray for Syria and all areas of ongoing unrest throughout the Middle East. We pray for the 13 children in America imprisoned and tortured by their parents who escaped this week. Send your spirit to sustain those who strive to bring justice, peace and honour, may they use their power for the wellbeing of all.
/cont.
Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

We pray for our city of Hull as we celebrate its success as City of Culture, and wait with anticipation for what is still to come. We give thanks for the vision and courage of those who have delivered the programme of activity in the last year, and for the confidence and purpose that has returned to the city. As water was turned into wine at the wedding at Cana, we give thanks for the transforming presence of Jesus in our own lives.

Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

We remember those suffering the pain of loneliness, who feel abandoned by family and friends who are too busy to visit, and those unable to leave their homes through incapacity, ongoing illness or fear. We name those in our hearts who are sick, undergoing treatment, struggling with mental illness, or whose lives have taken an unexpected and unwanted direction. We ask that the Holy Spirit comforts and supports them in their time of need.

Loving God we pray for all who mourn at this time, for those recently bereaved, for those whose anniversary is approaching, for those facing the challenges of bereavement alone. We pray that the children of God may find comfort and sustaining hope through his encompassing and embracing love.

Let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.

In our weakness
You are our Strength
Amidst our fear
You are our courage
Despite our despair
You are our hope
Rock and Refuge
Song and Salvation
You alone are worthy of our trust
You alone
Amen.

CHOIR: Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us (Taize chant)

IAIN:
We conclude our prayers with the words our Saviour taught us to pray, saying together:

ALL:
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.
Amen.

鈥�
NEAL:
Our closing hymn is a call to all of us to take the message of Jesus, revealed to us by God, in the power of his Holy Spirit, out to a world which is looking for his light in many dark places.

ALL: HYMN: Go forth and tell

+ALISON:
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

May God the Father,
who led the wise men by the shining of a star
to find the Christ, the Light from light,
lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord.
Amen.

May God the Son,
who turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana,
transform your lives and make glad your hearts.
Amen.
May God the Holy Spirit,
who came upon the beloved Son
at his baptism in the river Jordan,
pour out his gifts on you
who have come to the waters of new birth.
Amen.

And may the Blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be amongst you and remain with you always.
Amen.

ORGAN: VOLUNTARY: Mendelssohn: Organ Sonata Op 65 No 3 (Con moto maestoso)