Solemn Eucharist the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Solemn Eucharist The Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary 8 September 2020 7.00 pm Welcome to St Edmundsbury Cathedral Whether here in person or joining us online, a warm welcome to St Edmundsbury Cathedral. No Christian is solitary. Through baptism we become members one of another in Christ, members of a company of saints whose mutual belonging transcends death. Festivals (“red letter days”) and Lesser Festivals (“black letter days”) celebrate people in whose lives the Church has seen the grace of God powerfully at work. These holy days provide an opportunity to give thanks for that grace, and for the wonderful ends to which it shapes a human life; they provide a time to be encouraged and to recall that sanctity may grow in the ordinary circumstances, as well as the ordinary crises, of human living. Today we celebrate the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary and hear again her song; new beginnings in a life ever-increasingly dedicated to loving and serving God and participation in the redeeming work of God’s grace that God’s kingdom will be revealed finally and in all its fullness. This evening’s service sees the Rev’d Sarah Geileskey at the beginning of her ordained priestly ministry presiding for the first time. Father Tracy Williams (Parish of St Francis Heartsease, Diocese of Norwich) joins us as Deacon and the Very Rev’d Joe Hawes preaches. Thanks to both of them, to the Cathedral’s Acting Director of Music, Richard Cook, and the musicians for sharing their gifts with us, to Adam Geileskey for the Banksy-inspired artwork, to members of Junior Church for writing and leading the intercessions and to the clergy, vergers, wardens and all who have accompanied Rev’d Sarah’s journey. Music during the service Four-part Mass Byrd Magnificat in F Dyson Ave Maria Parsons Ubi Caritas Gjeilo Service order extracts from Common Worship Services © The Central Board of Finance of The Church of England. Music reproduced with permission - CCL Licence No 317297 The Dean gives The Welcome and Notices The Rev’d Sarah Geileskey vests in a chasuble and is welcomed into the college of priests by the Canon Pastor & Sub Dean and the Canon Precentor. Veni Creator Cantor Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, and lighten with celestial fire; thou the anointing Spirit art, who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart: Thy blessèd unction from above is comfort, life and fire of love; enable with perpetual light the dullness of our blinded sight. Anoint and cheer our soilèd face with the abundance of thy grace; keep far our foes, give peace at home; where thou art guide no ill can come. Teach us to know the Father, Son, and thee, of both, to be but One; that through the ages all along this may be our endless song: Praise to thy eternal merit, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Words: Latin, 9th century, transl. John Cosin, 1594-1672 Music: Veni Creator Spiritus 3 The ministers proceed to the west end of the Cathedral. Please stand. President Blessed are you, Lord our God, All to you be praise and glory for ever. President Your handmaid Mary magnified your name All and rejoiced in your saving love. President Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, ‘Blessed are you among women, All and blessed is the fruit of your womb’. As the processional is played everyone remains standing while the ministers move to the Pavement and the altar is censed. The Greeting We meet in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you All and also with you. The Prayer of Preparation All Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 4 The Prayers of Penitence Deacon Born of a woman, born under the law, Christ has redeemed us from sin and brought light and hope to those who trust in him: in his light let us confess our sins. Everyone sits or kneels as silence is kept. Deacon Lord Jesus, born of Mary, you came to bring peace to our hearts, yet we are slow to show peace to others: Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy. Deacon Lord Jesus, child of Mary, you came to make us children of God, yet we sometimes turn away from you and from the Father: Christ, have mercy. All Christ, have mercy. Deacon Lord Jesus, you are the Word made flesh, bringing light into the world, yet we often turn to dark and sin: Lord, have mercy. All Lord, have mercy. President Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen. 5 All stand as the Choir sings Gloria in Excelsis Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory be to God on high, et in terra pax hominibus and in earth peace, bonæ voluntatis. good will towards men. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, We praise thee, we bless thee, adoramus te, glorificamus te, we worship thee, we glorify thee, gratias agimus tibi we give thanks to thee propter magnam gloriam tuam, for thy great glory, Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, O Lord God, heavenly King, Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father almighty. Domine Fili unigenite, O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesu Christe; Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, qui tollis peccata mundi, that takest away the sins of the world, miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of suscipe deprecationem nostram. the world, receive our prayer. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Thou that sittest at the right hand of miserere nobis. God the Father, have mercy upon us. Quoniam tu solus sanctus; For thou only art holy; tu solus Dominus, thou only art the Lord, tu solus altissimus Jesu Christe, thou only, O Christ, Cum Sancto Spiritu with the Holy Ghost, art most high in gloria Dei Patris. in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Amen. Music: William Byrd (1539-1623) 6 The Collect President Let us pray Silence Almighty God, who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chose her to be the mother of your only Son: grant that we who are redeemed by his blood may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. ¶ The Liturgy of the Word Everyone sits as Adam Geileskey reads The First Reading A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. Isaiah 61.10-end For the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God. Please remain seated as the choir sings 7 The Magnificat Choir My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his hand-maiden. 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 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. 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. Words: traditional Luke 1.46-55 Music: Magnificat in F, George Dyson (1883-1964) Please remain seated as Theo Geileskey reads The Second Reading A reading from the Epistle to the Galatians. When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. Galatians 4.4-7 NRSV For the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God. 8 Everyone stands as the cantor and choir sing The Gospel Acclamations Cantor Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Choir Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Cantor I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord.