大象传媒

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.

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Opening Announcement

大象传媒 Radio 4. At ten past eight, it鈥檚 time for Sunday Worship which comes from Seymour Street Methodist Church in Lisburn. The preacher is the Rev Dr Janet Unsworth and the service is led by Rev Dr Edmond Mawhinney. It begins with the Grosvenor Chorale singing SS Wesley鈥檚 鈥淟ead me Lord鈥�

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Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

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Introit: Lead Me Lord (S S Wesley)

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Good morning and welcome to this service. On Friday we will come to All Saints鈥� Day when we remember those who have gone before us. It gives us the opportunity to think about those biblical giants of the faith as well as the many other heroes of faith: those whose stories are well known across the world, who might even be commemorated in stained glass windows themselves, as well as the un-sung heroes: the people who have provided us with shoulders to stand upon, as we have made our own journey of faith.听听听

Hymn 鈥� Ye holy angels bright (Darwall鈥檚 148th)

Prayers of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession

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Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we worship you as part of the family of sisters and brothers across the world and across the generations who rejoice in your steadfast love and faithfulness.

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We thank you for the rich inheritance of the saints into which we have entered, for the great cloud of witnesses which surround us 鈥� leaders and thinkers, people of faith and commitment who influenced our lives and all those who have run the race before us and encourage us by the way they kept the faith.

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We give glory to you, Lord our God, for you created the heavens and the earth and formed us in your own image.听 We thank You for revealing your love to us in Jesus Christ, your Son; for his life, death, resurrection and ascension through which you promise the forgiveness of sins and for the gift of the Holy Spirit to us and all whom you call.

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Heavenly Father, only you know how much we need forgiveness and only you can forgive us.

We humbly confess our sins.

We know that we are far from being perfect.听 Despite our words about commitment we have been weak, disobedient and self 鈥� centred; we are content to live as we have always lived; our service is often half 鈥� hearted and we have been more concerned with our own interests than those of others.

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Yet, flawed and sinful as we are, we want to be the people you would have us be.听 Lord God, forgive our many sins and help us to draw closer to you and learn to know you better.

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Lord, help us to continue to follow in the steps of those who have gone before us so that we gain insight and inspiration for life now and find vision and courage for the future.听

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May we may run the race with perseverance and be a good example to future generations.

For the company of your people and our place within it, we thank You, Lord.

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We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Our first reading is taken from the Letter to the Hebrews. In Chapters 11 and 12 the author recalls some heroes of faith but also reminds us of their impact on our lives. 听

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1st Reading Hebrews 11:27-34; 11.39-12:3

By faith Moses left Egypt, unafraid of the king鈥檚 anger; for he persevered as though听he saw him who is invisible.By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

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By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned.听By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days.听By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient,听because she had received the spies in peace.

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And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets鈥斕齱ho through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,听quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.听

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听Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised,听since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.

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1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,听and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,听looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of听the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

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Hymn 鈥� For all the saints (Sine Nomine)

Our Gospel reading is taken from the Gospel of St. John 15: 1-11. Jesus speaks to his disciples to give them comfort and assurance. But the words are also urgent words, spoken by Jesus during his farewell conversation with his disciples, on the night when he was betrayed, the night before the Crucifixion.

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Gospel: John 15:1-11

听鈥業 am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower.听He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes听to make it bear more fruit.听You have already been cleansed听by the word that I have spoken to you.Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.听I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.听Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.听If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.听My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become听my disciples. 听As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.听If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father鈥檚 commandments and abide in his love.听I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

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听鈥楾his is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.听

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Hymn - Let saints on earth in concert sing (French)

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Sermon听听

If you look at the reverse side of a 拢2 coin, you鈥檒l find听the images of four concentric circles which听trace the story of technological development representing from inner to outer听rim, the Iron Age, the Industrial Revolution, the Computer Age and the Internet. This听design听backs up听the听inscription which is found on the edge听of the coin.听It is taken from a letter written in 1676 by Sir Isaac Newton to his fellow-scientist Robert Hooke. He says: 鈥淚f I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants鈥�. With that he听acknowledged听the debt he owed to other scientists, whose work had paved the way for his discoveries.听

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But that听phrase听鈥撎�鈥渟tanding on the shoulders of giants鈥� -听was not Newton鈥檚 own.听 As early as the 12th century, John of Salisbury quoted his teacher, Bernard of Chartres, who taught that听鈥淪itting on the shoulders of giants, we see more,听and things that听are more distant, than they did;听not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours."听

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In the lancets below the South听Rose Window in the听Cathedral in听Chartres,听where John of Salisbury was Bishop there is a lasting visual听reference听to the shoulders of giants. The windows听shows the four major听Old Testament听prophets - Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel as giant figures, and on their shoulders sit the much smaller figures of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John听鈥� a reminder that those evangelists were building on the tradition and the truth set out by their predecessors.听

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All Saints Day gives us the opportunity to think about those听biblical听giants of听the faith听as well as the many other heroes of faith: those whose stories are well known across the world, who might even be听commemorated in stained glass windows听themselves, as well as the un-sung heroes: the听people听who have provided听us with shoulders to stand upon, as we have made our听own journey of faith.听听听听

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A听couple of weeks ago听the听Kenyan runner听Eliud听Kipchog听became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours and a few days later听 in听the Chicago marathon,听another听Kenyan,听Brigid听Kosgei听broke the听16 year old听world record set by Paula Radcliffe in听2003.听As听those marathon runners听ran听towards the finishing post,听crowds gathered听to cheer them on.听听

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In the chapter 11 of the letter to the Hebrews, the writer lists a听remarkable roll call of faithful people:听Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses,听Rahab, Gideon, and so the list goes on: great men and women of faith whose lives provide an example for us.听听

And then in chapter 12,听the writer depicts these听men and women听as a听crowd of听witnesses听cheering听on听the competitors听in听the听race.听听

The analogy is clear听- they are the giants听who have completed the race and have made it to the finish line themselves;听those who have听kept the faith, those听whose perseverance and endurance is an example for us to follow.听

And it is reassuring to note that the听giants of faith听which the writer lists were not all paragons of virtue.听听

Most of them made mistakes as they ran their race, and some went badly off course.听听

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When challenged to believe the amazing promises of God,听听

Abraham laughed and Jacob wrestled, Moses despaired and Samuel was afraid.听听

And yet, they held on to their faith in the God who had called them and who was sustaining them; they persevered听and overcame听many difficulties, to finish their race.听听

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Like the writer of Hebrews, each of us, if we thought about it, could probably put together our own 鈥渞oll call鈥� of听giants: people who have touched our lives in a special way, people whose example we can learn from, as we run our race of faith.

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Celtic spirituality speaks of the 鈥渢hin places鈥� - places where we experience a deep sense of connection to the divine, places where we find that we hear God鈥檚 voice more clearly听and feel a connection to those who have gone before.听One of those places for me is听our听Chapel in Edgehill听House听鈥� the place where I work and teach.听听

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Part of the reason听for that听lies in its history.听听

For听over 80 years, that Chapel has been a place of worship听and gathering听for听students training for ministry.听

In the scheme of church history,听80 years听isn鈥檛 that long, but听when I am there I have a sense of听that cloud of witnesses听鈥� those giants of faith 鈥� my own father included 鈥� men and women听who in that place听have听brought their joys and sorrows, their听excitement and their听frustration听as they have prepared to serve God听in the mission of his church.听听

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However, another part of the reason is found in听the fabric of the room itself 鈥� the听stained-glass window听which is听the central feature听of the south-facing wall.听听

Unlike the听south rose window in Chartres, one simple image听and some writing spills across the coloured glass听鈥撎齛 vine and听the听words 鈥� 鈥淚 am the true vine.鈥澨�听

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In听those words听Jesus captures the relationship we are talking about 鈥撎�听

the interconnectedness between us,听the听giants听of old, upon听whose shoulders we stand,听听

and听the听men and women of听faith听who听we journey with听each day 鈥� people whose courage and perseverance hasn鈥檛 been immortalised in stained glass windows and won鈥檛 be retold in the pages of history books, but who journey alongside us and encourage us in our faith.听

The听connection听between us听comes because听we are all rooted in听Jesus,听听

the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, Jesus, the true vine.听听

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When Jesus听describes听himself听as the true vine,听he is telling his disciples that听he is听genuine,听real, authentic,听strong, rooted and grounded in what is right and good.听There are many other things, many other people, who we will find to be false: but Jesus is truth personified;听

Jesus is听the听true听vine, and听as that听true听vine,听he promises to abide in us, as we abide in him.听

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The challenge for听all of us听is to听remain听joined to that true vine,听day by day;听to abide in him,听and as听one of his听branches,听to be听joined together with others听who have followed in the past and who follow him today:听each connected to听one听another听and joined in faith to听Jesus himself.听听

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Jesus鈥� words听are words听of comfort and of instruction about听how to carry on his mission听鈥� how to stand on听his听shoulders.听听听

鈥淎bide听in me鈥� is听not听an instruction听to听a community at rest, settling into business as usual.听听

It is听an instruction for a听community who are to be ready for mission,听a community who are willing to grow,听a听community who are willing to follow Jesus, wherever his Spirit leads听us.听听听听

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As people who are joined to Jesus, and joined to all those other disciples of every age, we abide in him, not so much to be听comforted, but more听to be empowered.听听

As we join ourselves to him, we receive his strength and we begin to bear fruit, the fruit of that abiding, in every aspect of our lives and our relationships.听

As we join ourselves to him, we are empowered to continue that mission which he began and which has been continued by those giants and companions in faith, whose memory we honour and give thanks for today.听

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And so, let us take a moment to pause and reflect:听

To know the peace and the power of abiding in Christ 鈥︹��.听

To know ourselves joined to him and joined to those who have walked alongside us and those who have gone before us, those who have helped us to see further and to reach higher, as we seek to follow Christ.听

Let us abide with them, and abide in him 鈥�. Amen.听

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Anthem: Abide with me (Moses Hogan)

Voice 1听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听 Let us pray

God of every age and time,

The one who is the same yesterday, today and for ever,

Thank you that you come alongside us in Jesus Christ,

Entering into history and entering into the messy reality of this world.

Thank you for the invitation to be joined to him,

To draw strength and grace from the one who is the true vine.

Grant us the help of your spirit, as we come to pray for the needs of the world,

As we seek to make his love real to all who are in need.

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Bidding:听听听听听听听听听听 Lord hear us,

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord graciously hear us.

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Voice 2听听听听听听听听听听听 As we thank you for all the giants of faith, on whose shoulders we can stand,

We pray for all who share in the ministry of your church today.

We pray for preachers and teachers, pastors and mission partners,

And the many thousands of disciples who live out their faith and bear witness to your love, in their homes, in their workplaces, and in their communities,

all across this world.

Grant them power and peace which comes from your Holy Spirit,

that we might faithfully serve you in the church and in the world.

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Bidding:听听听听听听听听听听 Lord hear us,

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord graciously hear us.

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Voice 1听听听听听听听听听听听 As we look back to learn, help us to look forward in hope.

Give us wisdom to draw on the lessons of those who have gone before

And grant us insight, to apply that learning to this time and this place.

In a time of uncertainty and challenge, give new light and new vision to all who must exercise leadership, thinking especially of those who take important decision鈥檚 about our nation鈥檚 future.

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And grant to us and all your children, new faith, new wisdom and new hope,

That we might move forward together, seeking the common good.

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Bidding:听听听听听听听听听听 Lord hear us,

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord graciously hear us.

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Voice 2听听听听听听听听听听听 As we seek to abide in Christ, and to know the peace and assurance

that he gives,

We pray for those who are troubled and distressed,

Those who, for whatever reason, do not have any sense of peace or wellbeing in their hearts at this time.

We remember those who struggle with pain: physical, mental or spiritual;

Those who are weighed down with sorrow and grief,

Those who feel cut off and abandoned.

Living Lord Christ: our healer, our comforter, our saviour, our friend,

Reach out in love, to all who are in need,

Through the power of your spirit and the presence of your people.

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Bidding:听听听听听听听听听听 Lord hear us,

All听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord graciously hear us.

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Voice 1听听听听听听听听听听听 We offer these prayers in faith and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The true vine,

The beginner and perfecter of our faith,

The Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow,

Amen.

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Lord鈥檚 prayer

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Hymn - Ye servants of God (Laudate Dominum)

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Blessing

Remember all God has done.

Rejoice in all He is doing.

Receive all He shall yet do.

Put your trust in the God of past, present and future

Walk with Him wherever He may lead

Knowing that He will walk with you, this day and always.

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The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit rest upon us and on our lives and worship now and for evermore. Amen.

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Closing Announcement

Sunday Worship from Belfast came from Seymour Street Methodist Church in Lisburn. 听The preacher was the Rev Dr Janet Unsworth and was led by Rev Dr Edmond Mawhinney.

The Grosvenor Chorale was directed by Edward Craig and the organist, Stephen Hamill.

听The producer was Bert Tosh.

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Next week hospice chaplain the Revd Dr Steve Nolan asks what the Book of Wisdom鈥檚 expression 鈥榯heir hope is full of immortality鈥� means for those experiencing death or bereavement today. That鈥檚 Sunday Worship for the season of All Soul鈥檚 from Old Royal Naval College Chapel, Greenwich at the usual time of ten past eight here on Radio 4.