ORDER OF SERVICE FOR ASCENSION SUNDAY 24th May

WELCOME - PIP

 

INTROIT FOR ASCENSION DAY - Christus Vincit

Christ is victor! Christ reigns! Christ is our commander!

Hear us O Christ,

Supreme leader and Universal Father, give us life.

St. Mary, St Peter, St Paul, St Gregory, come to our aid.

King of Kings, our Lord and leader,

may those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ have favourable times.

 

MARGARET - OPENING PRAYERS

 

HYMN

Hail the day that sees him rise, Alleluia!

to his throne beyond the skies. Alleluia!

Christ, the Lamb for sinners given, Alleluia!

enters now the highest heaven. Alleluia!

 

There for him high triumph waits; Alleluia!

lift your heads, eternal gates. Alleluia!

He has vanquished death and sin; Alleluia!

take the King of glory in. Alleluia!

 

Lord, though parted from our sight

Far above yon azure height

Grant our hearts may thither rise

Seeking Him beyond the skies

 

There we shall with Thee remain, Alleluia!

partners of Thine endless reign, Alleluia!

There Thy face unclouded see, Alleluia!

Find our heaven of heavens with Thee. Alleluia!

 

1ST READING - Acts 1:1-11

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

GOSPEL - Luke 24: 44-end

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Luke

Glory to Christ our Saviour.

 

(at the end)

Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel.

Praise to Christ our Lord.

 

SERMON

 

ANTHEM - NUNC DIMITTIS

Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in Peace according to Thy word;

for mine eyes have see Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people.

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be;

world without end. Amen.

 

PRAYERS

 

PEACE

We meet in Christ's Name

Let us share his peace.

 

OFFERTORY HYMN

The Head that once was crowned with thorns

is crowned with Glory now

A royal diadem adorns

the might victor's brow

 

The joy of all who dwell above,

the joy of all below,

to whom he manifests his love,

and grants his name to know.

 

They suffer with the Lord below,

they reign with him above;

their profit and their joy to know

the myst'ry of his love.

 

The cross he bore is life and health,

though shame and death to him;

his people's hope, his people's wealth,

their everlasting theme.

 

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

 

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

 

Worship and praise belong to you, author of all being.

Your power sustains,

your love restores our broken world.

You are unceasingly at work, from chaos,

bringing order

and filling emptiness with life.

Christ raised from the dead,

proclaims the dawn of hope.

He lives in us that we may walk in light.

Your Spirit is fire in us,

your breath is power to purge our sin

and warm our hearts to love.

As children of your redeeming purpose,

freed by him who burst from the tomb

and opened the gate of life,

We offer you our praise, with angels and archangels

And the whole company of heaven,

singing the hymn of your unending glory.

 

SANCTUS

Holy Holy Holy Lord, God of power and might

Heaven and earth are full of thy glory; hosanna in the highest

Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest

 

CONSECRATION PRAYER

Praise and thanksgiving be to you, Lord of all,

for by the cross eternal life is ours

and death is swallowed up in victory.

 

In the first light of Easter, glory broke from the tomb

and changed the women’s sorrow into joy.

From the garden the truth shone clear

that he whom they had loved and lost

was with them now in every place, for ever.

 

Making himself known in the breaking of the bread,

speaking peace to his fearful disciples,

welcoming weary fishers on the shore,

he renewed the promise of his presence,

and of new birth in the Spirit

who sets the seal of freedom on your sons and daughters.

 

On the night when he was given up to death,

knowing that his hour had come,

having loved his own, he loved them to the end.

At supper with his disciples

he took bread and offered you thanks.

He broke the bread, and gave it to them, saying:

‘Take, eat. This is my Body: it is broken for you.’

 

After supper, he took the cup,

he offered you thanks, and gave it to them saying:

‘Drink this, all of you.

This is my Blood of the new covenant;

it is poured out for you, and for all,

that sins may be forgiven.

Do this in remembrance of me.’

 

We now obey your Son’s command.

We recall his blessed passion and death,

his glorious resurrection and ascension;

and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.

Made one with him, we offer you these gifts

and with them ourselves,

a single, holy, living sacrifice.

 

Hear us, most merciful God,

and send your Holy Spirit upon us

and upon this bread and this wine,

that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,

they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,

and we may be kindled with the fire of your love

and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

 

Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ’s Body,

to live and work to your praise and glory;

may we grow together in unity and love

until at last, in your new creation, we enter into our heritage,

in the company of the Virgin Mary,

the apostles and prophets, and of all our brothers and sisters

living and departed.

 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,

with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

all honour and glory be to you, Lord of all ages, world without end.

Amen.

 

THE FRACTION

The living bread is broken for the life of the world.

Lord, unite us in this sign.

 

LORD’S PRAYER

As our Saviour Christ has commanded and taught us,

we are bold to say;

 

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 kingdom, the power and the glory

For ever and ever. Amen.

 

AGNUS DEI

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world; have mercy on us

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world; have mercy on us

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world; grant us peace

 

PRESENTATION

 

COMMUNION

 

THANKSGIVING AND SENDING OUT

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.

And his mercy endures for ever.

 

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Grant, we pray, almighty God,

that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ

to have ascended into the heavens,

so we in heart and mind may also ascend

and with him continually dwell;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

 

BLESSING

 

DISMISSAL

Let us to in peace to Love and serve the Lord

In the name of Christ. Amen.

 

FINAL HYMN

Jesus shall reign where'er the sun

does its successive journeys run,

his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,

till moons shall wax and wane no more.

 

People and realms of every tongue

dwell on his love with sweetest song,

and infant voices shall proclaim

their early blessings on his name.

 

Blessings abound where'er he reigns:

the prisoners leap to lose their chains,

the weary find eternal rest,

and all who suffer want are blest.

 

Let every creature rise and bring

peculiar honours to our King,

angels descend with songs again,

and earth repeat the loud amen.

.