Church of the Holy Trinity

The Great Thanksgiving

Text (excluding hymns) by Marilyn Ferrell

Presider: O God, the Source and Unity of the Universe

All: May we abide in you

Presider: O Christ in us

All: May you fill our Spirit

May we follow Jesus, born among us, who walked with the outcast, the marginalized, the oppressed and the homeless and said to us, ‘[Whenever] you do it to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do it unto me’ – calling us to see you in all who suffer.

As we gather around your table, we are reminded that Jesus accepted the cross on Golgotha to share our suffering and identify with our pain, our woundedness and our separation.

You especially suffer and identify with those of us [...]

Streams of Living Justice – William Whitla

Let streams of living justice flow down upon the earth.
Give freedom’s light to captives; let all the poor have worth.
The hungry’s hands are pleading; the workers claim their rights,
The mourners long for laughter, the blinded seek for sight.
Make liberty a beacon, strike down the iron power.
Abolish ancient vengeance. Proclaim your people’s hour.

The dreaded disappearance of family and friend,
The torture and the silence – the fear that knows no end.
The mother with her candle, the child who holds a gun,
The old one nursing hatred – all seek release to come.
Each candle burns for freedom, each light’s a tyrant’s fall.
Each flower placed for martyrs gives tongue to silenced call.

For healing of the nations, for peace that will [...]

Psalm 27 A Hymn, adapted – Ian Sowton

I AM is my light, my salvation, my life’s sanctuary,
so who can frighten me? Why should I live in fear?
2 When enemies – scoundrels all – gather to make a meal of me,
they’re going to stumble and fall flat on their faces.

3 A whole besieging army shall not cow my spirit;
even if I’m caught in a war I will stay confident.
4 One thing I asked of God, something I really long for:
to live out my life in the house of the Most High,

to fix my contemplating gaze upon God’s beauty,
to plumb my faith in the quiet of the temple.
5 When the day of trouble comes you will shelter me,
safely enfolded in [...]

Resignation
words: Chris Lind, tune: Resignation

1. Redemption is our call and song, our bed of straw and bone
We want to be made whole again – We want to be led home.
We’ve followed Culture’s lead to more – prosperity’s assumed;
But still we cope with hunger pangs for God won’t be consumed.

2. We thrill with peaks of ecstasy, we wallow in despair.
We yearn for easy escapades, we shun the well worn stair.
Can we not summon memory’s vane for guidance in this storm?
Yes, God has seen us here before and mercy is the norm.

3. O people gather, for our strength is stronger than alone.
Remember we are called to build the commonwealth of God.
The Market can be made to serve the common good of all,
If we [...]

O God, our Mother and Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your reign come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

For the realm, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and [...]

Psalm 36:5-10 A Wisdom Psalm, Adapted, Ian Sowton

YOUR steadfast love, O God, reaches to the heavens
and your faithfulness extends up to the clouds.
6 Your justice rises lofty as great mountain ranges,
your judgments are profound as ocean canyons.

Yahweh, you save people and beasts alike.
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O Holy One!
Everyone may take shelter in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;

you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 You are the fount of life; it is in your light that we see light.
10 O keep up your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to all [...]

The Midwife’s Carol
music: Becca Whitla
words: Ian Sowton, November 1994

1.The birth itself was not too hard
good presentation, fine strong mum
but my dear it was a circus
I thought that half the town had come
Wash him clean, wipe him dry,
Hush you, shush you rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye.

2. There were these shepherds who burst in
my dear they said a talking light
told them to come and pay respects–
kneeling, they were, to that wee mite
Wash him clean, wipe him dry,
Hush you, shush you rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye.

3. He’s breathing well, the cord’s tied off,
her afterbirth’s come free, my dear
when three fine scholar blokes squeeze in
saying a star had brought them here
Wash him clean, wipe him dry,
Hush you, shush you rock-a-bye, rock-a-bye.

4. You selling tickets then? I said
buzz off you lot and [...]