大象传媒

RADIO 4 OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT:

At ten past eight on 大象传媒 Radio 4 and 大象传媒 Sounds it鈥檚 time now for Sunday Worship.

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Good morning, and welcome to the Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, beside the River Thames in South East London, and at the heart of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. I鈥檓 the Revd Simon Winn, Vicar of Greenwich and I鈥檓 joined by my colleague the Revd Dr Tati Gutteridge to lead our service.

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Today we mark World Space Week, founded by the United Nations to be 鈥榓n international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition.鈥�

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Greenwich, located on the Prime Meridian, is home to the Royal Observatory, a hub of astronomical research since the 17th century. Investigating, and contemplating, the heavens is our heritage 鈥� and this is reflected in the opening lines of our first hymn: 鈥榚ternal ruler of the ceaseless round of circling planets singing on their way.鈥�

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CHOIR/ORGAN/ALL: HYMN: Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round (Song 1)

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SIMON:

Let us pray.

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Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all, to you be glory and praise for ever. You founded the earth in the beginning and the heavens are the work of your hands. In the fullness of time you made us in your image, and in these last days you have spoken to us in your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among us let the light of your love always shine in our hearts, your Spirit ever renew our lives and your praises ever be on our lips.

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Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Blessed be God for ever. Amen.

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TATI:

World Space Week, established in 1999, is all about bringing space education to the greater public 鈥� a mission that is more down-to-earth than we may think! Here at the Naval College, our forebears benefited enormously from research undertaken at the Royal Observatory which assisted the work of the Royal Navy. In the 17th and 18th centuries, cutting-edge astronomical information helped navigation on the sea, and assisted with the construction of maps and measuring of longitude.

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Both the Royal Observatory and the Royal Naval College were designed by Sir Christopher Wren 鈥� who was a professor of astronomy, before he turned his attention toward designing some of London鈥檚 greatest churches, such as St Paul鈥檚 Cathedral. Wren died 300 years ago this year, but his architectural masterworks remain; not least our own chapel, the neo-classical style of which is reminiscent of the sublime order inherent in the created world. This theme is also reflected in this anthem by Francis Grier, 鈥楪od who made the earth and sky鈥�.

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CHOIR: ANTHEM: God who made the earth and sky (Grier)

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SIMON:

Grier鈥檚 anthem sets a text taken from the Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal: 鈥楪od, who made the earth and sky and the changing sea clothed His glory in our

flesh: Man, with men to be.鈥� These words speak of the mystery at the heart of the Christian faith: that the transcendent creator of all the universe is not lofty and distant from creation, but rather draws near to us, in the person of Christ, and in the Holy Spirit. Our first reading, Psalm 8, marvels at the heavens, and the concern Creator God has for humankind.听听

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Reader 1 (Psalm 8):

O听Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals听that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honour. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9听O听Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

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SIMON:

Our second hymn, 鈥極 Lord of every shining constellation鈥�, was written by Albert F. Bayly. Bayly was a minister in the United Reformed Church and involved in the renewal of modern English hymn writing in the mid-twentieth century, his work was often inspired by scientific perspectives on the natural world.

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CHOIR/ORGAN/ALL: HYMN: O Lord of every shining constellation (Highwood)

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TATI:

We now hear a reading from the Gospel of John. These same words from Christ to his disciples were read by astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the Apollo lander in July 1969, before Aldrin took communion on the lunar surface.

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Aldrin later explained that it was important to him that the first substances ever consumed on the moon were the consecrated bread and wine of Holy Communion. This was, for him, a way of giving thanks to God for the success of the mission. The words we are about to hear speak of God not only as the creator, but also as the sustainer, of humankind.

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READER 2 (John 15:5-8):

Jesus said: 鈥業 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.鈥�

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TATI:

These words, from the Gospel of John, were spoken by Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper. Here at the Naval College, our chapel is dedicated to St Peter 鈥� described by Christ as the 鈥榬ock鈥� of the Church 鈥� and St Paul, author of many of the New Testament Epistles.

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Over the years, St Peter has acquired a certain celestial image, as the one who stands at the pearly gates of heaven holding the keys for entry. This apocryphal image derives from the words set in today鈥檚 anthem, which is Maurice Durufle鈥檚 鈥楾u Es Petrus鈥�. The words, taken from the Gospel of Matthew, read: 鈥榊ou are Peter, and on this rock I build my Church, and even the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it鈥�.

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After the anthem we hear from theologian and astrophysicist the Revd Professor David Wilkinson.

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CHOIR: ANTHEM: Tu es Petrus (Durufl茅)

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DAVID:

A couple of years ago I was part of a very unusual panel for discussion. The Ignatius Forum was held in the national Cathedral in Washington DC and on the panel were some interesting folk. Amazon boss and occasional astronaut Jeff Bezos was there. He was joined by Avril Haynes, the director of American national intelligence, the CIA and all of that. Then there was Senator Bill Nelson, the head of NASA, although he had to join by video because of a launch in Florida. Then Harvard astrophysicist Professor Avi Loeb who had a fly on the wall documentary crew with him. And there was me鈥� far above my paygrade.

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We were there to discuss 鈥極ur Future in Space鈥�. The discussion ranged from the ethics of space tourism to mining other planets and moons in the solar system. We talked about the US Government鈥檚 investigation into Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon or what we used to call UFOs, and the possible existence of extra-terrestrial intelligence. And we discovered that we had all grown up as fans as Star Trek, dreaming of the possibility 鈥榯o boldly go where no-one has gone before鈥�.

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Although my background is in research in theoretical astrophysics, I had been invited because these days I am a theologian. I was initially surprised to be invited, but our future in space raises some of the big questions which have always been part of human curiosity and wonder.

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As the author of Psalm 8 looked at the myriad of stars unhindered by the modern phenomenon of street lighting, the vastness of the universe led not only to worship of an amazing God who had made the billions of stars simply through the work of God鈥檚 fingers, but to also the question in the midst of this of 鈥榳hat are human beings?鈥�. It was the central question in our discussion in Washington 鈥� as Star Trek in the character of Mr Spock explored what it means to be human, that if we discover aliens then what does this mean for any sense of the specialness of humanity, and what right have we to use the resources of other planets for our own long term future.

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The answer of the psalmist is to point not to the fact that we are central to the Universe, but that God in his love has given us the gift of intimate relationship with Godself and also given us responsibility for the nonhuman world, to use it wisely and for the glory of God.听

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For me science is a gift to be used to explore and work with the natural world. As the great astronomer Kepler said, 鈥楽cience is thinking God鈥檚 thoughts after him鈥�. In my own work on star formation and the evolution of galaxies, the beauty and intelligibility of the laws of physics, filled me with awe and flowed through into worship of the creator God.听

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The place of our panel discussion was also significant. In the national Cathedral in Washington DC there is a stained-glass window called the space window. In its centre is a vacuum bubble of glass, within which is a piece of Moon rock. This piece of the Moon was presented to the Cathedral by Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.听 Here in the midst of the Cathedral was an affirmation of science as a source of inspiration and worship.

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So, during this World Space Week I want to affirm the scientific curiosity embodied at the Royal Observatory here in Greenwich as something given by God and as each generation discovers new possibilities in space 鈥� whether it鈥檚 analysing the recently returned sample from the asteroid Bennu or this week鈥檚 images from the James Webb Space Telescope 鈥� we need to use that knowledge and technology wisely for the good of all.

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This Space Week is in the year of the 300th anniversary of the death of Christopher Wren, who in his own time also combined astronomy and cathedrals, designing the Royal Observatory here in Greenwich. In 1657, when Wren was only 25, he was appointed Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College in London. He developed telescopes to investigate Saturn and met with a group of scientists regularly for discussion, which would give rise to the Royal Society in 1662. He even built a model of the Moon which was kept by King Charles II.

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It was only later that he switched his mathematical and engineering interests away from astronomy to architecture. His greatest building was St Paul鈥檚 Cathedral, but he also built Royal palaces and 52 churches after the Great Fire of London. Perhaps his imaginative architecture for places of worship had been stimulated by his exploration of the universe.听 鈥榃hen I look at the heavens鈥�.what are human beings?鈥�

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When Buzz Aldrin touched down on the Moon in 1969 with Neil Armstrong, he also held exploration together with worship. He asked for a moment of radio silence, then opened little plastic packages which contained bread and wine. Later he described the moment in these words, 鈥業 poured wine into the chalice my parish had given me. In one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the cup鈥μ� Just before I partook of the elements, I read the words which I had chosen to indicate our trust that as we go further into space, we are in fact acting in Christ. I read, 鈥淚 am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me鈥�.鈥�

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Even in what Aldrin would describe as the magnificent desolation of the Moon, he saw in bread and wine the answer to the question of the psalmist of what are human beings. The life, death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the assurance of God鈥檚 love for every human being and the affirmation of God鈥檚 commitment to the physicality of the universe. Both human beings and the stars matter to God and because of that the exploration and use of space is a God given vocation to be celebrated by the church.

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CHOIR/ORGAN: ANTHEM: The heavens are telling (Haydn)

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SIMON:

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray.

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O God, who made the universe and all that is in it, we thank you for the skills and talents that enable us to explore the mysteries of creation. Give us the will to cherish all that you have made, and to use the riches of our own world for the good of all, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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TATI:

We pray for all creation: the stars and the planets, the land and sea, and every living creature. We thank you for the beauty of the created world. Help us to be faithful stewards of your creation, and to continually give thanks for all that which is beyond our understanding, as a testimony of your glory. Amen.

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SIMON:

We pray for the Church: that, as Christ鈥檚 body, we would faithfully serve the needs of the world around us, and all its people, with love, compassion and kindness. We pray for all people committed to the pursuit of knowledge, particularly those who undertake or support scientific and technological research. We pray that this work would be done with godly intentions, enhancing human life, and prioritising the safety and well-being of our world. Amen.

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TATI:

We pray for people who are sick, or in need, that they would encounter the presence of Christ. We ask that, by your healing grace, all people in need would be made whole. We pray, too, for those who work to alleviate the struggles of others, that they would be blessed. Amen.

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TATI:

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us.

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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.

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SIMON:

We conclude our service by singing 鈥楢ll Creatures of our God and King鈥�, a joyful hymn is based on the words of St Francis of Assisi, who was inspired in turn by Psalm 148. The lyrics speak of all created things 鈥� the burning sun and silver moon; the clouds in the heavens and rushing wind 鈥� praising God simply by virtue of being as they were created to be.

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CHOIR/ORGAN: All Creatures of our God and King (Lasst uns erfreuen)

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SIMON:

May God who hovered over the waters of creation and formed the world from chaos, form us in the likeness of Christ and renew the face of the earth; And the blessing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life, be with you and remain with you always. Amen.

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ORGAN: VOLUNTARY: Te Deum (Charpentier)

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RADIO 4 CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Prelude from Charpentier鈥檚 Te Deum, ending Sunday Worship which came from the Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, in London to mark World Space Week. The service was led by the Reverend Simon Winn and the Reverend Dr Tati Gutteridge, and the preacher was the Reverend Professor David Wilkinson. The Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir was conducted by Ralph Allwood, the organist was Jonathan Eyre, and the producer was Ben Collingwood. The programme is available now on 大象传媒 Sounds. You might like to know that over on Radio 3 at 3 o鈥檆lock this afternoon, Choral Evensong is also from the Chapel of the Old Royal Naval College. Next week鈥檚 Sunday Worship marks the harvest season, and comes from St Mary鈥檚 Collegiate Church in Warwick.