17 February 2021                                                                                         Ash Wednesday

10.00 am Online Ash Wednesday Eucharist with Meditation – Readings and Hymns

Celebrant and Preacher: Revd Stuart Kersley

Reading: Isaiah 58: vv1–8
Gospel: Matthew 6: vv16–21

Hymn:  Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us 
o'er the world's tempestuous sea; 
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us, 
for we have no help but thee; 
yet possessing every blessing, 
if our God our Father be. 
 
Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us: 
all our weakness thou dost know; 
thou didst tread this earth before us, 
thou didst feel its keenest woe; 
lone and dreary, faint and weary, 
through the desert thou didst go. 
 
Spirit of our God, descending, 
fill our hearts with heavenly joy, 
love with every passion blending, 
pleasure that can never cloy: 
thus provided, pardoned, guided, 
nothing can our peace destroy. 
Words James Edmeston (1791-1867) 
Tune MANNHEIM Friedrich Filitz (Choralbuch, 1847) 


Prayers
For those in need in body, mind and spirit: Gabriella; Sara Harden; Mollie Williams; Roger Powell; Dorothy Gill; Penny Bowyer; Trevor Ball; Sheila Ward; Wendy Davies; Stella Hastings; Vivienne Holland

For those who have died recently: Charles Jarvis, John Woolgar, Tony Wallace, Georgie Muggeridge
Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
Notices:
At the PCC meeting held via Zoom on 19 January, it was agreed that the church would remain closed for the duration of the current lockdown.
Ecumenical prayer services: As the local churches are not currently open for groups or worship, and February is not the best time to be praying outside, Fr Charles and Revd Charles Hadley have agreed that to postpone the Tuesday prayer time until, hopefully, March.

Ash Wednesday Eucharist with Meditation

Welcome: Revd Stuart Kersley
Hymn: Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us

Invitation to observe Lent

All: Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

Collect
Almighty and everlasting God you hate nothing that you have made and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent. Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, we may receive from you, the God of all mercy perfect forgiveness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

Reading: Isaiah 58: vv1–8 Dennis Cowdrey

Gospel: Matthew 6: vv16–21

Meditation: Revd Stuart Kersley

Liturgy of Penitence
Minister: Let us now call to mind our sin and the infinite mercy of God.
Minister: God the Father
All: Have mercy on us
Minister: God the Son
All: Have mercy on us
Minister: God the Holy Spirit
All: Have mercy on us
Minister: Holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity
All: Have mercy on us

Minister: Each of the next brief prayers has the response:

All: Good Lord deliver us.

Period of silent reflection.

Minister: Make our hearts clean, O God
All: And renew a right spirit within us.

Confession
All: Father eternal, giver of life and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love, and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed, and repent of our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light.  Amen.

Minister:
Remember we are dust, and to dust we shall return. We turn from sin and turn to Christ.

Absolution:
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.   Amen.

The Peace
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
All: and also with you.

Preparation of the table
Wise and gracious God, you spread a table before us; nourish your people with the word of life and the bread of heaven.   Amen.

Eucharistic Prayer B
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.

Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word, through whom you have created all things; who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour.

By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin, he lived on earth and went about among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people.

'And now we give you thanks because you give us the spirit of discipline, that we may triumph over evil and grow in grace, as we prepare to celebrate the pascal mystery with mind and heart renewed.

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.  As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of St Mary and all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Lord's Prayer
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour taught us.

The Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.

Agnus Dei
Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us peace.

God’s holy gifts for God’s holy people.
Jesus Christ is holy, Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The priest says:
The body of Christ, keep you in eternal life.  Amen.
The blood of Christ, keep you in eternal life.  Amen.

Post Communion Collect
Lord our God, grant us to desire you with our whole heart; that so desiring, we may seek and find you; and so finding, may love you; and so loving we may hate those sins from which you have delivered us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Blessing
Christ give you grace to grow in holiness, to deny yourselves, to take up your cross, and follow him; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.   Amen.

Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ.  Amen.

Carols for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

Over the last few weeks our church choir at St Mary, Storrington have been preparing carols for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany seasons.  
The singing voices for the carols have been prepared individually by the choir in the comfort and safety of their homes.
By the power technology, all the voice parts are brought together and blended to form our choir singing together.    
Our warmest wishes to those in our parish and afar from Storrington Church Choir.
Please click here for a link to the Carol Sheet containing all the words of the Carols.

Advent 

Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes 

Christmas 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! 

Silent night, holy night 

Away in a manger 

O little town of Bethlehem 

O come all ye faithful 

Epiphany 

Choir Anthem for Lent 2021

Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes 

Hymns for Passiontide and Holy Week 

Click here to view a compline music word sheet.

During the current national lockdown due to Covid-19, some members of our choir have been recording hymns individually in the safety and comfort of their homes for our morning online services.  Their voices have been blended together to form a choir that we would normally hear in church. 

The choir have prepared the following hymns for the Passiontide and Holy Week journey for this year. 

There's a wideness in God's mercy

Ride on, ride on in majesty!

My song is love unknown

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy 

There's a wideness in God's mercy
like the wideness of the sea;
there's a kindness in his justice
which is more than liberty.
There is no place where earth's sorrows
are more felt than up in heaven;
there is no place where earth's failings
have such kindly judgement given.  

For the love of God is broader
than the measure of our mind,
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
But we make his love too narrow
by false limits of our own;
and we magnify his strictness
with a zeal he would not own.  

There is plentiful redemption
through the blood that has been shed;
there is joy for all the members
in the sorrows of the Head.
There is grace enough for thousands
of new worlds as great as this;
there is room for fresh creations
in that upper home of bliss.  

If our love were but more simple,
we should take him at his word;
and our lives would be all gladness
in the joy of Christ our Lord.  

Words: Frederick William Faber (1814-1863)
Tune: CORVEDALE Maurice Bevan (1921-2006)
 © Cathedral Music, King Charles Cottage, Chichester, PO18 9DT 
A&M 806  

Ride on, ride on in majesty 

Ride on, ride on in majesty!
Hark, all the tribes hosanna cry:
O Saviour meek, pursue thy road
with palms and scattered garments strowed.  

Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die:
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin
o'er captive death and conquered sin.  

Ride on, ride on in majesty!
The wingèd squadrons of the sky
look down with sad and wondering eyes
to see the approaching sacrifice.  

Ride on, ride on in majesty!
The last and fiercest strife is nigh:
the Father on his sapphire throne
awaits his own anointed Son.  

Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
bow thy meek head to mortal pain,
then take, O God, thy power, and reign.  

Words: Henry Hart Milman (1791-1868)
Tune: WINCHESTER NEW or CRASSELIUS  
Adapted from a chorale in Musicalisches Hand-Buch, 
Hamburg 1690  A&M 161 

My song is love unknown 

My song is love unknown, 
my Saviour's love to me, 
love to the loveless shown,  
that they might lovely be.  
O who am I,  
that for my sake  
my Lord should take  
frail flesh, and die?  

He came from his blest throne,  
salvation to bestow;  
but men made strange, and none  
the longed-for Christ would know.  
But O, my Friend,  
my Friend indeed,  
who at my need  
his life did spend!  

Sometimes they strew his way,  
and his sweet praises sing;  
resounding all the day  
hosannas to their King.  
Then 'Crucify!'  
is all their breath,  
and for his death  
they thirst and cry.  

They rise, and needs will have  
my dear Lord made away;  
a murderer they save,  
the Prince of Life they slay.  
Yet cheerful he  
to suffering goes,  
that he his foes  
from thence might free.  

Here might I stay and sing:  
no story so divine;  
never was love, dear King,  
never was grief like thine!  
This is my Friend,  
in whose sweet praise  
I all my days  
could gladly spend.  

Words: Samuel Crossman (1624 –1683)  
Tune: LOVE UNKNOWN John Ireland, Rock Mill, Washington (1879 - 1962)  
A&M 147 (with omitted verses) 

Easter Season Music from the Choir

During the current National Lockdown due to Covid-19, over the Lenten season, the choir have prepared some music for our Easter services.  Individual choir members have sung in the comfort and safety of their own homes to record their individual voice parts, these are then collected and edited together to form the choir that we would hear in church.   Hopefully, it won't be long until can we hear some of our choir sing in church for our services again.    The choir wishes everyone in our parish, near and afar, a very Happy Easter!

Alleluia! 
Christ is Risen! 
He is risen indeed, alleluia! 

Victory is ours - Easter Choir Anthem

Jesus Christ is risen today - Easter Sunday - Hymn One

Love is his word - Easter 6

Father, I place into your hands

We hail thy presence glorious - Easter 5

Choir Music for Pentecost and Trinity  

Will you come and follow me (The Summons) 

Earlier in 2021, during the January lockdown, due to a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections, the choir prepared the hymn – Will you come and follow me – in the comfort and safety of their own homes. The hymn text is centred around Christian initiation and vocation and it is also referred to as “The Summons”.  The text asks 13 questions asked by Jesus in the first person; ending with “are you prepared to use the faith you’ve found to re-shape the world around through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?”.      

The music for the hymn is set to a traditional Scottish melody, Kelvingrove, with a folk lilt that takes us in a gentle dance, perhaps reflecting the dance pattern of our faith we encounter – weaving around the ebb and flow of life’s journey. 

Will you come and follow me   

Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
and never be the same? 
Will you let my love be shown,  
will you let my name be known,  
will you let my life be grown  
in you and you in me?  

Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?  
Will you risk the hostile stare  
should your life attract or scare,  
will you let me answer prayer  
in you and you in me?  

Will you let the blinded see
if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean
and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean
in you and you in me?  

Will you love the ‘you’ you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?  
Will you use the faith you’ve found  
to reshape the world around  
through my sight and touch and sound  
in you and you in me?  

Lord, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
and never be the same.
In your company I’ll go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow
in you and you in me.  

Words John L. Bell (b. 1949)  
Graham Maule (1958 – 2019)  
Tune KELVINGROVE  
© 1987 WGRG, Iona Community,  
Govan, Glasgow G51 3UU, Scotland  

Pentecost (Whit Sunday) 

The choir prepared a hymn individually at home during a very damp month of May for our Pentecost Sunday service in church and online, the recorded voices are blended together to form the choir we would hear in church.   Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me was chosen as our hymn for Pentecost, a gentle hymn and quiet sincere prayer. 
On Pentecost Sunday, after great care and consideration, a limited number of singers from our choir returned to the church building to lead our worship and to sing the Eucharist each Sunday morning.   Unfortunately, the congregation cannot sing inside the church building, however, we are able to sing a Hymn of the Day outside as part of our Sunday morning worship (observing social distancing rules). 
Here is some more information about the celebration of Pentecost Sunday – it is a big celebration in the church’s year – and is often referred to as the “church’s birthday”. 

https://www.churchofengland.org/our-faith/what-we-believe/lent-holy-week-and-easter/pentecost 

Spirit of the Living God        

Spirit of the Living God,  
Fall afresh on me.  
Spirit of the Living God,  
Fall afresh on me.  
Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me.  
Spirit of the Living God,  
Fall afresh on me. 

Spirit of the Living God,  
Fall afresh on us.  
Spirit of the Living God,  
Fall afresh on us.  
Break us, melt us, mold us, fill us.  
Spirit of the Living God,  
Fall afresh on us.  

Words & Music Daniel Iverson (1890 – 1977) 

Trinity Sunday 

The choir prepared an anthem for Trinity Sunday service held in church and online on Zoom.  Our Gospel reading for the day came from John 3.1-17 and an appropriate anthem was chosen, God so loved the world.
The words are taken from the Pharisee Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus in the dead of night.
A Jewish leader, Nicodemus, recognised that Jesus was the Son of God and had been sent into the world by God, not to condemn the world, but to redeem the world and bring all humankind closer to God.  
The music is from a Passiontide oratorio, “The Crucifixion”, composed by Sir John Stainer and Revd William Sparrow Simpson in the late 19th century.  The music was composed in the romantic style of that period.
Here is some more information on Trinity Sunday, a special celebration in church to mark the start of our journey through the Trinity Season (Ordinary Time).    

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/beliefs/trinity_1.shtml 

The lengthy season is marked inside our church with lots of green colour – a time to grow, explore, and reflect on our journey in faith – as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, weave themselves into our lives and lead us into true joy.

God so loved the world        

God so loved the world  
that he gave his only begotten Son,  
that whoso believeth in him should not perish,   
but have everlasting life.  
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world,  
but that the world through him might be saved.  

Text compiled by Revd William Sparrow-Simpson (from John 3)  
Music: From Oratorio ‘The Crucifixion’ John Stainer 

Please find below the website, login and password for view of Laurence Hardy’s funeral service.