Parish News

In 1999, the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN), a partner of Eco-Congregation, urged churches to adopt a Time for Creation stretching from 1 September to the feast of St Francis on 4 October. This was endorsed by the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, Romania in 2007, which recommended that the period “be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles that reverse our contribution to climate change”.

Due to COVID restrictions, in place of our normal Animal Blessing Service, we will hold a Creation Time Service on 5 September which will focus on our care for God’s world.

Ashford Charity Shop is open six days a week, from 11am-3pm on Mondays and Saturdays and from 10am-4pm on Tuesdays to Fridays.

It has many new and good as new items for sale.

Topic: Evening Prayer
Time: Sep 1, 2021 07:30 PM London

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The service sheet is available here: WEDNESDAY 1 SEPTEMBER EVENING PRAYER

or below here:

Evening Prayer

1^st September, 2021.

 

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

 

Psalm 144:9-16

O God, I will sing to you a new song;

I will play to you on a ten stringed harp.

You that give salvation to kings

and have delivered David your servant.

Save me from the peril of the sword

and deliver me from the hand of foreign enemies.

Whose mouth speaks wickedness

and whose right hand is the hand of falsehood.

So that our sons in their youth may be like well nurtured plants,

and our daughters like pillars carved for the corners of the temple.

Our barns be filled with all manner of store;

our flocks bearing thousands, and ten thousands in our fields.

Our cattle be heavy with young:

may there be no miscarriage or untimely birth, no cry of distress in our streets.

Happy are the people whose blessing this is.

Happy are the people who have the Lord for their God.

 

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

Opening prayer

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and for ever.

 

The word of God

Song of Soloman 8:5-7

Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I awakened you. There your mother was in labour with  you; there she who bore you was in labour. Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.
If one offered for love all the wealth of one’s house, it would be utterly scorned.

 

Address

 

Anthem: My beloved spake

My beloved spake, and said unto me,
Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.
For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

The fig tree putteth forth her green figs,
And the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.

Arise my love, my fair one and come away.

Setting by Patrick Hadley

 

 

Prayers of intercession

Prayers may be offered:

for peace

for individuals & their needs

for all who work in hospitality

for all who work in health care

for those who mourn the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a way of life

for the work of aid agencies throughout the world

for those living in poverty or under oppression

Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end: bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

 

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

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The service leaflet is available here: Evening prayer 25th August

or below here:

EVENING PRAYER – Wednesday 25^th August 2021

 

The Greeting

 

We come from scattered lives to meet with God, let us recognise his presence with us

(Silence)

 

As God’s people we have gathered here,       let us worship and pray together.

 

Introduction

Loving God we have come to worship you.

Help us to pray to you in faith, to sing your praise with gratitude

and to listen to your word with eagerness, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

 

 

Penitence

The gospel calls us to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.

As we offer ourselves to him in penitence and faith,

we renew our confidence and trust in his mercy.

 

We have not always worshipped God, our creator,

Lord have mercy ,                          Lord have mercy,

 

We have not always followed Christ, our Saviour,

Christ have mercy ,                        Christ have mercy,

 

We have not always trusted in the Spirit, our guide,

Lord have mercy                            Lord have mercy

 

May Almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners,

bring you his pardon and peace, now and for ever.            Amen.

 

 

Psalm 11

¹ In the Lord I take refuge.  How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain.
² For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
³ When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

⁴ The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.
⁵ The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion.
⁶ On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.

⁷ For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

 

Canticle – Ecce Nunc

Come bless the Lord all you servants of the Lord,

you that by night stand in the house of the Lord .

Lift up your hands towards the holy place and bless the Lord,

may the Lord bless you from Zion, the Lord who made heaven and earth.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,                                                                                                                 as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

 

Reading – John: 15  verses 16 – 25

 

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

 

Few thoughts

 

The Response to God’s Word

 

Do you believe and trust in God the Father, who made the world?                                                                                                                             I believe and trust in him

Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ, who redeemed mankind?

I believe and trust in him.

Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of God?

I believe and trust in him.

This is the faith of the Church.

This is our faith. we believe and trust in One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

The Prayers of the People.

God, remember us in your love and teach us to pray –

For the peace that comes from God alone……………………………………………………………

Loving God, we look to you                                Response – Receive our prayer

 

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.

 

An Evening Prayer

Eternal God , you have walked faithfully with us today, thank you for all your blessings throughout the day. Now may we rest confidently under the shelter of your wings and be refreshed and renewed by your Spirit. May we awake tomorrow confident of your sustaining grace and power and walk in your ways to bring praise and glory to your name. Amen

 

 

The Blessing

 

The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always.    Amen.

 

 

 

 

Topic: Late Evening Office 18 August 2021

Time: Aug 18, 2021 07:30 PM

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The service leaflet is available here: A Late Evening Office – Wednesday 18 August 2021

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WEDNESDAY 18 AUGUST 2021: A LATE EVENING OFFICE

 

PREPARATION

OPENING PRAYER

Blessed be our God for all time, now and for evermore. Amen.

 

Glory to you, our God, glory be to you,

Holy Spirit, Comforter,

treasure of all goodness and giver of life,

come and dwell in us,

cleanse us from all sin,

and in your love bring us to salvation.

 

RESPONSORY

Holy God, holy and strong,

holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.

 

THE WORD OF GOD

PSALM

Psalm 36

1  Sin whispers to the wicked, in the depths of their heart; ♦︎

   there is no fear of God before their eyes.

2  They flatter themselves in their own eyes ♦︎

   that their abominable sin will not be found out.

3  The words of their mouth are unrighteous and full of deceit; ♦︎

   they have ceased to act wisely and to do good.

4  They think out mischief upon their beds

and have set themselves in no good way; ♦︎

   nor do they abhor that which is evil.

5  Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens ♦︎

   and your faithfulness to the clouds.

6  Your righteousness stands like the strong mountains,

your justice like the great deep; ♦︎

   you, Lord, shall save both man and beast.

7  How precious is your loving mercy, O God! ♦︎

   All mortal flesh shall take refuge

      under the shadow of your wings.

8  They shall be satisfied with the abundance of your house; ♦︎

   they shall drink from the river of your delights.

9  For with you is the well of life ♦︎

   and in your light shall we see light.

10  O continue your loving-kindness to those who know you ♦︎

   and your righteousness to those who are true of heart.

11  Let not the foot of pride come against me, ♦︎

   nor the hand of the ungodly thrust me away.

12  There are they fallen, all who work wickedness. ♦︎

   They are cast down and shall not be able to stand.

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son ■

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, ■

and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

 

A READING

Mark 8: 14-21

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, ‘Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ They said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ They said to him, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?’ And they said to him, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Do you not yet understand?’

.

MEDITATION

A period of meditation on the reading follows.

 

THE GOSPEL CANTICLE

NUNC DIMITTIS        The Song of Simeon  Luke 2: 29-32

1 Now, Lord, you let your servant | go in | peace: ■

your | word has | been ful|filled.

2 My own eyes have | seen the · sal|vation ■

which you have prepared in the | sight of | every | people.

3 A light to re|veal you · to the | nations ■

and the | glory · of your | people | Israel.

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son ■

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, ■

and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

PRAYER

INTERCESSIONS

Let us pray to the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for all Christian people, that they may live in love and truth.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for all ministers of the Church, and for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for peace throughout the world, and for all governments.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for our neighbours and for all our friends.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for those who hate us as we pray for those who love us.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for refugees and prisoners, and for all who are exposed to the dangers of travel.

Lord, have mercy.

 

 

Let us pray for all sick people, for the sorrowful and the dying.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us pray for the abundance of the fruits of the earth, and that the poor and hungry may receive a just share.

Lord, have mercy.

 

Let us remember our brothers and sisters who have entered into eternal rest.

Pause to name those on our minds and hearts

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.

 

OPEN PRAYER

Let us continue praying in a time of open prayer.

A period of open prayer follows.

 

Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

COLLECTS

Look down, O Lord,

from your heavenly throne,

illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness,

and from the children of  light

banish the deeds of  darkness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

O God our Creator,

by whose mercy and might

the world turns safely into darkness and returns again to light:

We give into your hands our unfinished tasks,

our unsolved problems, and our unfulfilled hopes,

knowing that only those things which you bless will prosper.

To your great love and protection

we commit each other and all for whom we have prayed,

knowing that you alone are our sure defender,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

THE LORD’S PRAYER

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. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMON COLLECT

Lord Almighty,

come and scatter the darkness of our hearts

by the light of your presence;

that we may know you the Light of the world

and the one true God,

blessed this night and for evermore. Amen.

 

THE ENDING

DISMISSAL

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

BLESSING

May the Almighty and merciful God,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

bless us and keep us. Amen.

 

Topic: Evening Prayer
Time: Aug 4, 2021 07:30 PM London

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The service leaflet is available here: WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUST EVENING PRAYER

or below here:

Evening Prayer

4^th August, 2021.

 

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

 

Psalm 57

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for my soul takes refuge in you;

in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge

until the storm of destruction has passed by.

I will call upon the Most High God,

the God who fulfils his purpose for me.

He will send from heaven and save me and rebuke those that would trample upon me;

God will send forth his love and his faithfulness.

I lie in the midst of lions,

people whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and your glory over all the earth.

They have laid a net for me feet;

my soul is pressed down;

they have dug a pit before me and will fall into it themselves.

My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready;

I will sing and give you praise.

Awake, my soul; awake, harp and lyre,

that I may awaken the dawn.

I will give you thanks, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praise to you among the nations.

For your loving kindness is as high as the heavens,

and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and your glory over all the earth.

 

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

 

Opening prayer

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and for ever.

 

The word of God

2 Peter 3:14-18

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

Address

 

Canticle: Magnificat

My soul doth magnify the Lord.

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.

He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel:

As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

Setting by Herbert Brewer

 

 

Prayers of intercession

Prayers may be offered:

for peace

for individuals & their needs

for all who work in hospitality

for all who work in health care

for those who mourn the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a way of life

for the work of aid agencies throughout the world

for those living in poverty or under oppression

Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end: bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

 

The Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

This year the church will not be open to visitors during Heritage Week. Instead a short documentary has been produced by Patricia Butler, Scott Golden and others. The video is based on Patricia’s book “Nun’s Cross Church and its Treasures” and will be advertised on the Heritage Week’s website. It will be posted on the Parish YouTube channel.

A retiring collection will be organised in support of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) at the back of Nun’s Cross church during August. Please try and support this worthy cause.

Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are used widely in herbicides in forestry, agriculture, verge ‘management’ along roadsides and in parks etc and in residential properties. GBHs are non-selective, broad-spectrum, highly effective and have been commonly used since the mid-1970s. Users are often told they are ‘inert’ once they hit the soil. One of the best-known herbicides of which glyphosate is the key ingredient is Roundup. Until recently, little evidence of its long-term impacts was available. In the US, a man who developed cancer after spraying Roundup for several years was the centre of a huge compensation claim. In British Columbia, GBHs have been used on a huge scale in the forestry industry. Recent research there has shown that residues have been found to persist for up to 12 years, particularly in root tissue; additionally, glyphosate persists in the soil. Understorey species are also affected. Although edible fruits contained lower levels than shoots and roots one year after treatment, concentrations in both raspberry and blueberry fruits were above levels fit for human consumption. Wicklow County Council has signed up to a biodiversity charter, yet it has sprayed many roadside verges over the past year; blackberry pickers beware. We would all be well-advised to reduce any unnecessary use of GBHS.