大象传媒

This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast.聽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,聽and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

ANITA:聽Good morning and welcome. From where I鈥檓 standing, I can see the Saxon cross on the south wall of this ancient church.聽This has been a place of worship for over a thousand years. Since my husband Charlie and I arrived in 2002 as leaders of this community,聽we have seen numerous people find both faith and a home in this diverse church that we call A House of Prayer for all nations and 鈥楬ome at the Heart of Oxford. 鈥櫬營t鈥檚 a city visited by every nation, For so many students, international students and visitors, this city and this church has become almost a holy place 鈥� a place to meet with God.We begin by singing a hymn by Oxford poet and Missionary to India Reginald Heber, Holy Holy Holy,聽
Music 1: Opening hymn - Holy, Holy, Holy (Nicaea)Holy holy holy, lord god almightyEarly in the morning our song shall rise to theeHoly holy holy, merciful and mightyGod in three persons, blessed trinity聽
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,聽casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;聽cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,聽who were, and are and evermore shall be.聽
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,聽though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,聽only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,聽perfect in power, in love and purity.聽
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!聽All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.聽Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,聽God in three persons, blessed Trinity.
ANITA:聽The theme of the service is 鈥榖roken and blessed鈥� 鈥� and we will be reflecting on the powerful message of the beatitudes.聽 聽聽Part of Jesus鈥� Sermon on the Mount in Matthew鈥檚 Gospel. the Beatitudes show Jesus at his most poetic, and the depths of God鈥檚 counter-cultural love. For example, he says times of mourning will be matched with comfort from God.聽The Beatitudes are a rich source of both comfort and encouragement in the difficult seasons of life, and worth calling to mind as Christians prepare for the season of Lent.聽聽During the service we鈥檒l also explore and express the rhythm of prayer that we have adopted from the ancient practice of a Rule of Life. This has been used for hundreds of years by monastic and church communities as a framework to stay close to God in the press of daily life.聽聽
FUNMI DURODLA: Reading (The Beatitudes 鈥� Matthew 5:1-12)I work as a safeguarding adult practice supervisor in my professional life and I find I need the wisdom contained here in Jesus鈥� words when making what can be difficult ethical decisions.
鈥淣ow when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.He said:3 鈥淏lessed are the poor in spirit,聽 聽 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are those who mourn,聽 聽 for they will be comforted.5 Blessed are the meek,聽 聽 for they will inherit the earth.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,聽 聽 for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful,聽 聽 for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart,聽 聽 for they will see God.9 Blessed are the peacemakers,聽 聽 for they will be called children of God.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,聽 聽 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 鈥淏lessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.聽12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.ANITA The extraordinary words of Jesus:聽 We sing about His Hidden Glory and His Beauty from the beginning 鈥� His beautiful name above all names
MUSIC 2: What a Beautiful Name (Hillsong Worship)
You were the Word at the beginningOne with God the Lord Most HighYour hidden glory in creationNow revealed in You our Christ
What a beautiful Name it isWhat a beautiful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a beautiful Name it isNothing compares to thisWhat a beautiful Name it isThe Name of Jesus
You didn't want heaven without usSo Jesus, You brought heaven downMy sin was great, Your love was greaterWhat could separate us now
What a wonderful Name it isWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a wonderful Name it isNothing compares to thisWhat a wonderful Name it isThe Name of Jesus
Death could not hold You, the veil tore before YouYou silenced the boast of sin and graveThe heavens are roaring the praise of Your gloryFor You are raised to life again
You have no rival, You have no equalNow and forever, God, You reignYours is the Kingdom, Yours is the gloryYours is the Name above all namesWhat a powerful Name it isWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of Jesus Christ my KingWhat a powerful Name it isNothing can stand againstWhat a powerful Name it isThe Name of Jesus
CHARLIE:聽鈥淲hat a beautiful name鈥濃�� We find His beautiful name is revealed鈥β� to people in our city of Oxford: city of dreaming spires; cradle of philosophers,聽politicians, poets and priests; steaming cauldron of ideas and policies, proposals and discoveries; high place of discourse and debate; womb of new science and new law; greenhouse of culture.聽This is our city - a wonderful city to inhabit; stimulating and spiritual 鈥� but it鈥檚 also home to the poor, the dispossessed, the confused, the struggling and many fighting mental and physical ill health.聽What does it mean to be poor in spirit in this cocktail of contrasts?聽The Beatitudes begin: 鈥淏lessed are the poor in Spirit鈥�: How can poverty of spirit be in any way good? 鈥淏lessed are those who mourn鈥� How can mourning be blessed?聽聽Like many, I have known times, short and long, of feeling utterly helpless; times when I literally cannot move, whether that be mentally, emotionally or physically.聽When tragedy strikes or other pain looms over us, and we鈥檒l talk about some of this this morning, It feels like being paralysed. Some listening to this may identifyIn the Beatitudes, the Greek word for 鈥榩oor鈥� describes absolute and abject poverty; in Aramaic, the word evolved: it began by meaning simply 鈥榩oor鈥�, then 鈥榖ecause poor, therefore having no influence, power or prestige鈥�;聽from there 鈥榖ecause having no influence, therefore downtrodden and oppressed by people鈥�; and so it came to mean 鈥榖ecause they have no earthly resources whatever, the poor person puts their whole trust in God鈥�.聽There can be blessing however paradoxical in this: 鈥楤lessed is the person who has realised their own utter helplessness and has put their whole trust in God.鈥櫬燘lessed are those who mourn 鈥� they shall be comforted.聽In a moment we鈥檒l hear (my wife) Anita Cleverly speak of her experience of coping with recent traumatic bereavement,聽In our Church, partially in response to our helplessness without prayer, we鈥檝e tried to live a 鈥楻ule鈥� based on the Beatitudes involving pausing and praying Morning Noon and Night.聽In the morning, as the day begins, following the practice of lectio divina: we read / meditate / pray the passage and then contemplate God鈥檚 beauty. In our poverty and mourning 鈥� He is a deep comfort!聽
ANITA:聽No human being lives a life untouched by pain or sadness or grief. For the Christian, believing in the resurrection is a source of hope and comfort at such times, and we seek to be a community that holds the tension of joy and suffering.聽Just 3 months ago my beloved sister was killed in a brutal car crash; hearing the news I screamed and screamed. Not for the first time, our world instantly collapsed, as it had nearly 40 years earlier when our first son died in a cot death. Just as I did all those years ago I felt I would not be able to bear this new loss, or recover from it. But in the chaos, I knew, and still know, that God is with me. God鈥檚 word and presence are my daily strength and comfort, and I am broken, but I am blessed. And the body of Christ comforts and strengthens me too, because Jesus is present and embodied by his Holy Spirit in his people. This is the glorious reality of the Christian message, bringing hope through the pain of the cross for all, including you.
MUSIC 3: You Restore my Soul (St Aldates Worship) INTRO BEGINS HERE, UNDER FOLLOWING SCRIPT:
ANITA:聽However bleak our circumstances the truth is that God can restore us...and when he does, our perspectives are radically changed, as our next song, a setting of the 23rd psalm, expresses.聽Written by St Aldates musicians, it reflects their personal journeys as well as proclaiming a universal truth.And after that, we will hear the voices of our international community聽 - some of them in their own language - in prayer to the God who is a very present help in time of need.(MUSIC 3 continues: congregation sings You Restore my Soul (St Aldates Worship)聽
The Lord is my shepherd, he restores my soulHe leads me by still waters, he restores my soul
Surely your goodness and mercy are chasing after me all of the days of my life
Even when I鈥檓 lost in the deepest valleyI鈥檒l fear no evilEven when the silence falls around meI know you hear meEven when it feels like we鈥檙e separatedYou鈥檙e holding onto me
You lift my head you wipe my tearsYou restore my soulYou draw me into your embraceYou restore my soul
Surely your goodness and mercy are chasing after me all of the days of my life

PRAYERS Intercessory prayers said with a background of music,聽
ANNA WITHERS: I speak as a German married to a Welshman working in a business consultancy here:聽Geliebter Vater wir beten Dir fur Europa, dass sie geheilt werde. Dear, Beloved Father we pray for the healing of Europe.聽In the light of the past tumultuous year in European politics: Please heal divisions in Europe. You are a God of Mercy. We pray for those in authority that you would give wisdom and a sense of your presence. May the nations of Europe be 鈥榞odly and quietly governed鈥�.聽Lord in your MercyALL:聽 Hear our Prayer

AUGUSTINE KANU:聽 I speak as a Nigerian working in xxx聽聽In igbo:聽 God please hear our cry and heal racial division in our lands聽Lord God, we love you and we come to you. Please heal racial division in our lands.聽You called us to be a House of Prayer for all nations. Father we pray for the nations that you would bring peace and reconciliation. We especially pray in the wake of recent terror events: Have mercy and heal our land鈥β燣ord in Your MercyALL: Hear our prayer
MUSIC SOLO 鈥榊ou restore my soul鈥� brief moment sung by Lauren Harris? Then music continues under remaining prayers鈥�
Even when I鈥檓 lost in the deepest valleyI鈥檒l fear no evilEven when the silence falls around meI know you hear meEven when it feels like we鈥檙e separatedYou鈥檙e holding onto me
You restore my soul x4
EMILY BERRY: I was a partying student in Oxford, living a pretty chaotic life, when Christ was revealed to me and my days of mourning ended in His comfort (to quote the Beatitudes).聽I now work as a one of the student pastors here: Father please comfort students in every university.聽Please protect them and awaken them to your truth and your kindness as you awakened me.聽We remember George Whitefield who as an undergraduate came to know you in Pembroke College 50 metres from this church and preached with such power to a whole generation ushering in a revival. Father, please raise up Whitefields and Wesleys from among the over 2 million students in the UK.聽We pray for another Great Awakening.Lord in your mercyALL: Hear Our Prayer


ROB ROGERS: I was a sofa surfing drug user who came to know Christ and was completely set free.聽I now work for the Church鈥檚 Charity聽 with their 12 houses and programs for ex-prisoners and addicts. Father鈥� you came to 鈥榮et the captives free鈥�. I thank you that you are a God who liberates and transforms today. Please bless those using shelters across the country. Jesus you are the One who heals the broken hearted: Please heal those in trouble, sorrow, need sickness and adversity.聽As the next song says: May you who are the 鈥榝irstborn of all creation鈥� cause new things to come to life even today.聽聽Lord in your mercyALL: Hear our Prayer
MUSIC 4: Raised With Christ (Aldates Worship) (no bridge)The firstborn of all creationThe world was made for your delightTaking on our human natureBecoming sin to give us life
You hold everything togetherFrom beginning to the endWith a love no one could measureStronger than the grip of death
I鈥檝e been raised with ChristThe old is gone the new has come to lifeI will lift my voice and sing our praiseForever I will sing聽 your praise聽
I lift my eyes up to the heavensI set my mind on things aboveYou are the prize you are my treasureHow sweet the name that reaches us
You hold everything togetherFrom beginning to the endWith a love no one could measureStronger than the grip of death
I鈥檝e been raised with ChristThe old is gone the new has come to lifeI will lift my voice and sing our praiseForever I will sing聽 your praise聽Forever I will sing your praise聽Forever I will sing your praise聽CHARLIE:聽The Beatitudes continue: 鈥楤lessed are the meek 鈥� they shall inherit the earth, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice 鈥� they shall be filled鈥�; Blessed are the merciful 鈥� they shall be shown mercy鈥極xford is packed with people searching for justice and showing mercy. There鈥檚 one charity working with the homeless run exclusively by Undergraduate students like Emily who prayed earlier:聽Our community of 100 or so Oxford Postgrads who regularly attend this church supports people in Masters and Doctoral programs called to do research and proposals as diverse and needed as climate and creation care,聽epidemic disease prevention, holistic mining development in Africa, international politics, gender oppression, mental well being, education, and radical solutions to injustices concerning wealth. They have in common a longing for justice and are so beloved, I believe.But one way to begin hungering for righteousness is to hunger for God. 鈥楤lessed are the meek 鈥� they shall inherit the earth鈥�. The Greek word praus translated 鈥榤eek鈥� is the word for a wild animal which has been trained to obey.聽Like a beautiful powerful horse which has learned to accept leading. The discipline of a morning noon and night Rule of Life can help us be meek and as we hunger鈥� to be filled.聽聽At noon, we recommend what Theresa of Avilla called 鈥楥entering Prayer鈥�: The Prayer of recollection 鈥� a time to gather all of our distracted thoughts and tasks and re-orientate our heart.聽We are interrupted many times in an hour by messages and alerts; this is the chance to turn your phone off, go outside if possible, listen, and breathe.聽Then a Prayer of Quiet 鈥� In the Prayer of Quiet: there is a listening stillness. Experiencing Silence is almost a lost art but can bring healing when we discover it.聽Then: Union and Communion with God. American theologian Henry Nouwen says: 鈥業f there is any focus the Christian of the future will need it is the discipline of dwelling in the presence of the One who keeps asking us:聽鈥楧o you love me?鈥欌�� This is the discipline of contemplative prayer: Blessed are the meek: Paradoxically it seems they shall inherit the earth!聽
ANITA: Striving for justice can mean being awake to needs of the planet and caring for creation, to caring for the poor... Let鈥檚 consider our own response to Jesus as we sing our next song: When I survey the Wondrous Cross.聽聽
MUSIC 5: When I Survey the wondrous cross (O Waly Waly)
When I survey the wondrous crossOn which the prince of glory diedMy richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride
Forgive it lord that I should boastSave in the death of Christ my lordAll the vain things that charm me mostI sacrifice them to his blood聽
See from his head his hands his feetSorrow and love flow mingled downDid ere such love and sorrow meetOr thorns compose so rich a crown
Were the whole realm of nature mine聽That were an offering far too smallLove so amazing so divineDemands my soul my life my all聽


ANITA:聽At the heart of the Book of Books, the Bible, lies the Song of Songs. We聽have been speaking of a God of Hope, in whose embrace the poor can know provision and those in mourning can find comfort.聽This next reading tells of the One who changes the sadness of winter into Springtime 鈥� into the season of singing where flowers appear on the earth at last.

REVD NINA OSKARSDOTTIR聽 Reading (Song of Songs 2:10-15?)聽I was ordained in the Church of Norway and I love children. For the past three years have served the two hundred or so children of this church and many more in this city as families pastor
10 My beloved spoke and said to me,聽 聽 鈥淎rise, my darling,聽 聽 my beautiful one, come with me.11 See! The winter is past;聽 聽 the rains are over and gone.12 Flowers appear on the earth;聽 聽 the season of singing has come,the cooing of doves聽 聽 is heard in our land.13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;聽 聽 the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.Arise, come, my darling;聽 聽 my beautiful one, come with me.鈥�

CHARLIE:聽The Beatitudes go on to say: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.聽Our second reading - from The Song of Songs goes further and calls humankind 鈥淭he Beloved鈥�.聽 聽God says to His 鈥榖eloved鈥�: 鈥楢rise my darling and come with me 鈥� the winter is over.The Church Fathers used to read this passage as referring to the Incarnation when Christ comes into the 鈥榳inter鈥� of this world 鈥� a place where as CS Lewis said. It is 鈥榓lways winter and never Christmas鈥�.聽When Christ comes into the winter of our world, He turns all to Springtime and fragrance and flowers appear on the earth. Maybe this is why Christians care deeply for creation and the planet 鈥� that flowers, fragrance and diversity and ecological balance are loved and looked after.聽
This famous passage is also a call to know the presence now even in the 鈥榳inter鈥� of our soul. Your winter may be the fact of tragedy or trouble as we have heard 鈥� it may be the winter of routine drudgery.聽It is the Call into experiencing God daily. In this way, though broken, we can be blessed!
We have been looking at a Morning Noon and Night Rule of Life鈥� At night, we can use the powerful Ignatian Practice of 鈥楾he Examen鈥� to come away from the winter and enter a new springtime.聽聽At the end of the day, we can ask: Where have I met Christ today? And then: 鈥榃here have I missed Him鈥�?聽Often, we meet Him when we are present to someone- when we are not too busy to pause or not too self-preoccupied to notice and to listen to others.聽And we also meet Him in prayer through the day in quiet encounter. It is a Beatitudes paradox 鈥� in Brokenness, there is blessing, in Mourning there can come comfort.聽How does this work 鈥� well as the next Song say: 鈥淚 cannot tell鈥濃�� 鈥淚 cannot tell鈥� But this I know 鈥� He heals the broken hearted 鈥� he stays our sin and calms our lurking fear 鈥撀營 cannot tell how 鈥� but He lifts the heavy burden 鈥� and then to quote the Song of Songs 鈥� Flowers appear on the earth.聽
MUSIC 6: I Cannot Tell (Londonderry Air)聽
I cannot tell why he whom angels worship should set his love upon the sons of menOr why as shepherds he should seek the wand鈥檙ers to bring them back, they know not how or whenBut this I know, that he was born of Mary, when bethl鈥檋em鈥檚 manger was his only homeAnd that he lived at Nazareth and laboured and so the saviour, saviour of the world is come.聽
I cannot tell how silently He suffered,聽 As with His peace He graced this place of tears,Or how His heart upon the Cross was broken,聽 The crown of pain to three and thirty years.But this I know, He heals the broken-hearted,聽 And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,聽 For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here聽
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,聽 When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,Or who can say how great the jubilation聽 When all the hearts of men with love are filled.But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,聽 And myriad, myriad human voices sing,And earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer:聽 At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King

ANITA:聽 Let us pray together
ALL: Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and for ever.Amen.
CHARLIE:Your salvation is near to those who fear you;that glory may dwell in our land.Your salvation is near to those who fear you;that glory may dwell in our land.Mercy and truth have met together;righteousness and peace have kissed each other.That glory may dwell in our land.
May the Lord bless you and keep you聽May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peaceAnd the Blessing of God Almighty, Father Son and Holy Spirit be with you now and always聽AmenMUSIC 7: Instrumental music to close service