麻豆约拍

PLEASE NOTE: This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast.

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It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events

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R4:听听听听听听听听听 OPENING ANNO 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

麻豆约拍 Radio 4.听听听 鈥淟iving Tradition鈥� is the theme explored in Sunday Worship this morning which comes live from St. Margaret鈥檚 Church, Wrexham.听 The service is led by Canon John Lomas.

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ITEM 1听 INTRO 听 CANON JOHN LOMAS听听

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Good morning.听 Grace and peace to you all! And a warm welcome to the largest town in north Wales, where we鈥檙e situated between the lower Dee valley and the country鈥檚 easternmost mountains.

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I have a slightly unusual role in this parish having been given the challenge and responsibility of undertaking what鈥檚 known as a 鈥渢ransition ministry鈥�.听 Basically that means I鈥檓 working with a group of 8 churches, as they attempt to find fresh patterns of ministry for diverse groups of people, some of whom might at present have little contact with church.

听But the label 鈥渢ransition ministry鈥� really only reflects the vocation of the whole church, that of engaging in a constant journey towards faithful renewal.听 Seeking to be followers of Jesus is about being continually engaged with learning about, and communicating, the good news of Christian faith so that others can hear it.

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At the heart of the Christian message is the comforting assurance that God, who loves us, always leads us on this adventure, whatever the change and challenge.听 Believing that God always wants humanity and all creation to flourish, Christians have to establish what it means to be God鈥檚 people here and now 鈥� working out how to honour the treasures and traditions we鈥檝e inherited, how to nurture new gifts in the present and for the future听 - in other words, how to enjoy a 鈥渓iving tradition鈥�.

Our first hymn affirms this calling, reminding us that the God who has always guided us in the past will show us the path to life: 鈥淎ll my hope on God is founded鈥�.

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ITEM 2: 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Hymn听 CHOIR/CONG/ORGAN 听听听

All my hope on God is founded;

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ITEM 3听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 OPENING PRAYER听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CANON JOHN

Lord, you are always more ready to listen than we are to pray, help us to be faithful in worship and ready to ask your blessing upon our lives and our whole community.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听Breathe your love and creativity into our worship and all our relationships that we may grow in friendship with you and one another.

Help us to know that you鈥檙e at the centre of all things. Gift us with vision and insight to rediscover your presence in familiar truths and to find you also at the boundaries of our communities and the limits of our imagination. Amen.

[As we think about change and growth this morning we remember that] today, in many churches, is Rogation Sunday 鈥� which honours a long-standing tradition of prayer, especially in rural areas, calling for God鈥檚 blessing upon our land and the coming harvest.

John Rutter鈥檚 anthem 鈥淔or the Beauty of the Earth鈥� calls us to be attentive to the gifts of creation and to praise God with joyful hearts. It鈥檚 sung now The Cantorian Sirenian Singers.

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ITEM 4听听听听 ANTHEM听听听听听 CHOIR / PIANO 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

For the beauty of the earth

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ITEM 5 PENITENTIAL PRAYER听听听 CANON JOHN.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Let us ask God to have mercy on us and upon the world:听

For forgiveness for the times when we have failed to act out of love towards听 God and our neighbour, and for grace and imagination to use our gifts well.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Creator God, you gave us so many good gifts but we have often hoarded or squandered them.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Lord, have mercy听 R/ Lord, have mercy.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Saving God, you show us the way of love, but many times we have put ourselves first and ignored the needs of the poor.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Christ, have mercy听 R/听 Christ, have mercy.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Spirit of hope, you gift us with fresh opportunities each day. Give us strength and courage when we struggle to put our trust in you and when we fear to learn new things.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lord, have mercy听 R/听 Lord, have mercy.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Generous God, you never cease the work you have begun, and you bless us with potential to learn and grow every day of our lives. Make us faithful stewards of the gifts we have been given, that we might work for the good of all and for the building of your Kingdom.听听 Amen.

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[Receiving God鈥檚 forgiveness and daring to be people who are willing to learn new things can be a daunting task]. Our next piece of music is a prayer that we may trust that God accompanies us through all the changes of our lives. 鈥淚n heavenly love abiding.鈥�

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ITEM 6 听CHOIR / ORGAN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

In heav鈥檔ly love abiding,

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ITEM 7听听 LINK听听听听听 CANON JOHN 听听 听听听听听

In a moment our preacher the Reverend Mary Stallard will speak on our Gospel reading.

At the Last Supper, aware of the danger he was facing on the eve of his betrayal and arrest, Jesus spoke openly to his friends about the massive changes that confronted them.

He knew that he was about to leave them and that, if they were to carry on his ministry of telling people about God鈥檚 message of love and forgiveness, they would need to find new resources of trust and hope.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

St John鈥檚 Gospel chapter 14 records his words of encouragement, which speak to all who are facing change:

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ITEM 8 READING

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听[Jesus said,] 鈥業f you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

鈥業 will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.鈥櫶�听听听

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(John 14.15-21)

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ITEM 9听听 REFLECTION PART 1听听听听听听听 REV MARY STALLARD

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The pathway to one of our churches here in Wrexham provides me with a vivid parable of how we can get stuck when we鈥檙e challenged by the need to do things differently:听 The path is made of handsome and expensive stone slabs which complement the building and contribute to the visual impact of a celebrated local landmark.

Unfortunately the paving isn鈥檛 suitable to bear the weight of modern vehicles. But because many people need to drive to church and park in the churchyard, the stones are repeatedly broken.

On the face of it the choice is simple; either we should stop people from driving on them or replace these stones with a less elegant but more robust surface. But, in practice, it鈥檚 not a straightforward decision.听 Whatever鈥檚 done, will cause upset. Some have strong feelings about the way the building looks; others about the need for easy access.听 So it鈥檚 tempting to take no action and try to ignore the issue, living with the brokenness, and making piecemeal and costly repairs from time to time.

For me, this is a fascinating metaphor for aspects of the contemporary church.

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The tradition in lots of churches today - Rogation Sunday - is to focus on the land and its bounty, by 鈥渂eating the bounds鈥澨� - symbolically walking around the parish perimeter asking for God鈥檚 blessing upon all that鈥檚 growing.听听 I remember doing this as a child in Birmingham, being dragged out for a healthy Sunday afternoon walk.听 I was told of its meaning but didn鈥檛 quite manage to make the connection between the past and the present, especially in a city context.

It鈥檚 a tradition that, arguably, is in danger of losing significance, as we become ever more estranged in our relationship with the land.听 [So perhaps, then, it鈥檚 even more important to pray for those involved in agriculture and food production but it also raises interesting questions about the place of tradition in our world and worship today].

Handed down from generations before us some rituals continue to have resonance and meaning, but the significance of others becomes more opaque over time.

Sometimes our actions may have little connection with the reality of our lives.听听听 My family laugh at me because I like to set the table for breakfast every morning in the way my mother always did.听听 They find it amusing because we almost never sit down together for breakfast!听 And ironically I waste time laying the table before heading out to work, whilst often grumbling that I鈥檓 not actually going to have time to eat!

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It鈥檚 hard to know how to adapt our routines: A well-known prayer (attributed to American Theologian Reinhold Niebhur) recognises our need for help with this saying: 鈥淕od grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.鈥�

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The Christian church isn鈥檛 immune to these dilemmas.听 It famously wrestles with them: struggling and grappling in many areas to resolve points of conflict about the place of tradition. We see this sometimes in fierce debates about a whole range of issues from the words we choose for prayer, to the people who are allowed to be ordained and beliefs about marriage and sexuality.

Uncertainty over such issues causes tension and upheaval.

It鈥檚 a big challenge for the church to find positive ways to honour the gifts of the past whilst also respecting and acknowledging the needs of present and continuing communities.

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Now, faith ought to be a great resource for coping with change.听 Being confident 鈥� literally means living with faith. The world view that Jesus shared with his friends should fill us with hope:听 As we heard, he assures us that the God who鈥檚 always accompanied us will never leave us alone or friendless.

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Often the choices we face are complex: and recognising our brokenness and difficulty is an honest place to start in times of change, but like a path that always needs mending, our weaknesses are signs of places calling out for active attention and healing.听 Situations where we鈥檙e stuck have to become sites for repentance 鈥� where we seek God鈥檚 help and direction. A chance to let go or to start afresh.听 Jesus came to lead people on in life and one of the names he used for himself was 鈥渢he Way鈥�.

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[ Margaret Rizza鈥檚 setting of the Hymn of St Patrick, expresses the steadfast love in which we can trust when we know we鈥檙e accompanied on our life鈥檚 journey ].听听

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ITEM 10听 CHOIR / ORGAN or听 UNACCOMPANIED TBC听听听听听听

Hymn of St Patrick

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ITEM听听听 11听 REFLECTION PART 2听听 听听 MARY 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

There鈥檚 an ancient and moving wisdom in that wonderful Hymn of St Patrick, [with music by Margaret Rizza] with its gentle and insistent repetition of the name of Jesus. 鈥淐hrist鈥� comes first in every line, driving home the message that not everything depends upon us and that it鈥檚 God, not ourselves or our problems that鈥檚 at the centre of everything.

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And it offers us comfort but also a challenge.听听 It means that we鈥檝e greater resources than we sometimes remember. Putting Christ first reminds us that we鈥檙e part of a bigger narrative in which we play only a small part. And aligning ourselves to Jesus means accepting that it鈥檚 his vision which is far greater than our own, that鈥檚 most important in finding creative ways to move forwards.

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This doesn鈥檛 make the journey an easy or predictable one, of course. The way of Christ takes us beyond our comfort zone and into territory where there鈥檚 potential to discover many new things: maybe friendship with those we consider to be enemies, healing where we encounter brokenness and life where we鈥檙e unable to see hope.听 We鈥檙e often fearful of the unknown.听 Afraid to alter the status quo.听 But growth is a part of life.听 Change is a fact of life.听听 And embracing faithful change, like the first disciples of Jesus did after the resurrection, means being willing to trust that his love will guide us and help us to discover new strength and fresh purpose.听

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Just before he was made a priest in the Church of South India, a friend sent me a prayer about how God can gift us with change.听听 At the start of a new stage of his life the following words summed up for him God鈥檚 surprising economy of grace, in which he accepts our offering of prayer and blesses us with something better:

鈥淚 asked God for Strength

听And He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face

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I Asked for Brain & Brawn

And He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve

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I Asked God for Wealth

And He Showed Me How to Work Hard

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When I Asked God for Peace

He Showed Me How to Help Others

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God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted

He Gave Me Everything I Needed.鈥�

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We鈥檙e currently in the last in between days on the annual journey from Easter to Pentecost.听听 It鈥檚 a time when we鈥檙e still celebrating the joy of God鈥檚 gift of new life through the resurrection and preparing to recall the enlivening presence of the Holy Spirit which filled the earliest church with hope and confidence.听 So it鈥檚 a great time to ask God to re-animate our faith where we鈥檙e tired, to invigorate our worship where we lack inspiration and to guide and bless our living; so that we might not remain anxious about our brokenness and our fears, but instead be bold and joyful people of faith.

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Thomas Chisholm鈥檚 famous hymn celebrates the steadfastness of God who always meets our fragile offerings of prayer with his generous love and mercy. 鈥淕reat is Thy faithfulness鈥�.

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ITEM 12听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 CHOIR / ORGAN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Great is Thy Faithfulness

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ITEM 13听听听听听听 PRAYERS听听听听听 CHOIR/ READER/CANON JOHN听听听听听听听听听听

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Sung Response: Take, O Take Me As I Am

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READER:听

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Risen Lord Jesus, source of life, thank you that you are always with us, help us to recognise your peace and presence in our lives today.听

We pray for all who today face hard decisions or difficult situations.

Where we encounter difference or diversity, grace us with gifts to listen with care and courage to share openly, seeking to move forward with hope.

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CHOIR:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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Sung Response

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READER:

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As we pray we鈥檙e especially conscious today of the needs of 鈥︹�︹��

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For all who live in great need, and the families and friends of all whose lives have been rocked by the pain and violence of our world.

Bless all who are hurting, be close to those who feel raw with sorrow or grief at this time. Touch our hearts and help us to bring good news to others.

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CHOIR:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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Sung Response:

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READER:

We pray for God鈥檚 blessing upon our lives and decisions: Lord speak to us in ways that we can understand and help us to respond with grace.

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ITEM 14听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LORD鈥橲 PRAYER听听听听听听听听听听 JOHN/CHOIR听听听听听

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Holy God, we pray for the coming of your Kingdom, as Jesus taught us.

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 today our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.听 For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever, Amen.

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LINK听听听听听听 15听听听听听听听 听听 CANON JOHN

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Our final hymn this morning sends us out to live our faith, confident that the God who loves us hears and answers our prayer: 鈥淔orth in the peace of Christ we go.鈥�

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ITEM 16听听听听听听听 HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听 CONG/CHOIR/ORGAN听听

Forth in the peace of Christ we go;

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ITEM 17听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 FINAL BLESSING听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 CANON JOHN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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BLESSING 1听听听听听听听听

Our closing blessing:

听May God continue to hear our prayer and bless us that we might live as signs of God鈥檚 grace, peace and hope.听听 (AMEN)

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ITEM 18听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 ORGAN PLAYOUT听听听听听听听听听听DAVID HARDIE听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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CLOSING ANNO:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

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Sunday Worship came live from St. Margaret鈥檚 Church, in Wrexham, North Wales.听听 The service was led by Canon John Lomas and the preacher was the Reverend Mary Stallard.听 The Cantorian Sirenian Singers were directed by Jean Stanley Jones.听 The Organist was听David Hardie听and the producer was Karen Walker.听听

In next week鈥檚 Sunday Worship Adrian and Bridget Plass lead a service from Scargill House in the Yorkshire Dales.

This Thursday, Radio 4 will be celebrating Ascension Day with a service live from the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.听 The preacher will be Dominican Friar and author, Father Timothy Radcliffe.

If you鈥檇 like to join the congregation in St Martin-in-the-Fields, please be seated by half past seven.听 Or you can enjoy the service [this Thursday] here on Radio 4, just after the eight o鈥檆lock evening news.