Order of Service
MORNING WORSHIP, ST. COLUMBA'S, PONT STREET
SUNDAY 15th SEPTEMBER 2024 11.00 A.M.
(17th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST)
Welcome
Call to Worship
Hymn 210 Awake my soul and with the sun (Morning Hymn)
- Awake, my soul, and with the sun
your daily stage of duty run;
shake off your sleep, and joyful rise
to pay your morning sacrifice. - Wake, and lift up yourself, my heart,
and with the angels take your part,
who all night long unwearied sing
high praise to the eternal King. - Lord, I my vows to you renew;
disperse my sins as morning dew;
guard my first springs of thought and will,
and with yourself my spirit fill. - Direct, control, suggest, this day,
all I design, or do, or say,
that all my powers, with all their might
in your sole glory may unite. - Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, you heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Prayers of Approach & Lord’s Prayer
Theme for the day for our young people
(Our young people are invited to join the minister at the front of the church)
Hymn 604 Holy wisdom, lamp of learning (In Babilone)
(Our young people are invited to leave for Sunday School after the singing of the hymn)
- Holy wisdom, lamp of learning,
bless the light that reason lends.
Teach us judgment as we kindle
sparks of thought your Spirit sends.
Sanctify our search for knowledge
and the truth that sets us free.
Come, illumine mind and spirit
joined in deepest unity. - Vine of truth, in you we flourish;
by your grace we learn and grow.
May the word of Christ among us
shape our life, your will to know.
Joined to Christ in living, dying,
may we help the Church convey
witness to the saving gospel,
bearing fruit of faith today. - Holy God, the hope of nations,
tune us to your righteous will,
as the symphony of ages
claims our best, our finest skill.
Shape our search for peace and justice
through prophetic deed and word.
Christ, conduct us, set our rhythm,
that God’s praise be ever heard.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9a
4The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backwards.
6I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
New Testament Reading: James 3:1-12
3Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
Anthem: The Heavens are Telling,
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)
The Heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of his work displays the firmament.
Today that is coming speaks it the day,
The night that is gone to following night.
The Heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of his work displays the firmament.
In all the lands resounds the word,
Never unperceived, ever understood.
The Heavens are telling the glory of God,
The wonder of his work displays the firmament.
Gospel Reading: Mark 8:27-38
27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’
34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
Hymn 402 Take up your cross the Saviour said (Breslau)
- ‘Take up your cross,’ the Saviour said,
‘if you would my disciple be;
take up your cross, with willing heart,
and humbly follow after me.’ - Take up your cross; let not its weight
fill your weak soul with vain alarm:
his strength shall bear your spirit up,
and brace your heart, and nerve your arm. - Take up your cross, nor heed the shame,
and let your foolish pride be still:
the Lord refused not even to die
upon a cross, on Calvary’s hill. - Take up your cross, then, in his strength,
and calmly every danger brave;
it guides you to a better home,
and leads to victory o’er the grave. - Take up your cross, and follow Christ,
nor think till death to lay it down;
for only those who bear the cross
may hope to wear the glorious crown.
Sermon
Musical Interlude: Teach me O Lord, Thomas Attwood (1765–1838)
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes,
and I will keep them unto the end.
Dedication of our Offerings, Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession
(If able, please stand as the offering is brought forward and the congregation sings)
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (CH4 807, Old 100th)
Prayer of Dedication:
Minister: Father, Son, and Spirit Holy,
we give you thanks and praise:
Congregation: We dedicate to you
our thoughts, our words, our gifts, our deeds,
the working of our hands,
the thinking of our minds,
the loving of our hearts. Amen.
(Congregation sit for Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession)
Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession
Intimations
Hymn 529 Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go (Warrington, CH4 470)
- Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,
my daily labour to pursue,
thee, only thee, resolved to know
in all I think, or speak, or do. - The task thy wisdom hath assigned
oh, let me cheerfully fulfil,
in all my works thy presence find,
and prove thy good and perfect will. - Thee may I set at my right hand,
whose eyes my inmost substance see,
and labour on at thy command,
and offer all my works to thee. - Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
and every moment watch and pray,
and still to things eternal look,
and hasten to thy glorious day; - For thee delightfully employ
whate’er thy bounteous grace has given,
and run my course with even joy,
and closely walk with thee to heaven.
Benediction & Choral Amen
Organ Postlude: Prelude in C Minor, Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Retiring Offering
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