Presentation of
Jesus in the Temple
2 February 2014
The Gathering of the
Community
Processional Hymn
‘From
East to West, from Shore to Shore’ Common
Praise #155 vv. 1, 2, 7
Introductory
Responses
Blessed
be the Lord, the God of Israel.
May all the earth be filled
with the glory of God.
Light
has sprung up for the righteous,
and joyful gladness for those
who are true-hearted.
Glory
to God in the highest,
and peace to God’s people on
earth.
Hymn of Praise
Gloria
in excelsis by Rupert Laing
Collect
Let
us pray.
God
of Anna and Simeon,
whose law makes known the gift
of life,
whose love exposes our
hardness of heart:
by your Spirit, may we receive
your faithful word to Gentile and Jew
and know your reconciling
presence offered for all the world;
through Jesus Christ, the
Light and Glory of God. Amen. [i]
The Proclamation of
the Word
First Reading
A
Reading from the prophet Malachi (3.1-4).
See, I am sending my messenger to
prepare the way before me, and the Lord
whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you
delight — indeed, he is coming, says the Lord
of hosts. But who can endure the day of
his coming, and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and
like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he
will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until
they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will
be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Hear
what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
The Psalm
‘Holy
Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place’ Common
Praise #498
Second Reading
A
Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (2.14-18).
Since, therefore, the children share
flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through
death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help
angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore
he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a
sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was
tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
Hear
what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
The Gradual Hymn
‘Lord,
Let Your Servant Go in Peace’ Common
Praise #266
The Gospel
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The
Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (2.22-40).
Praise to you, Lord Jesus
Christ.
After eight days had passed, it was
time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the
angel before he was conceived in the womb.
When the time came for their
purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to
present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every
firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), and they offered a sacrifice according
to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young
pigeons.”
Now
there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and
devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit
rested on him. It had been revealed to
him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit,
Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,
to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and
praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according
to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in
the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for
glory to your people Israel.”
And
the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his
mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in
Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of
many will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
There was also a prophet, Anna the
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her
husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-
four. She never left the temple but
worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise
God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of
Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything
required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of
Nazareth. The child grew and became
strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The
Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus
Christ.
The Sermon
An Affirmation of
Faith
The
Deacon leads the Community in the Affirmation of Faith.
Do
you believe and trust in God, the Holy One of Israel,
source
of all being and life,
the
one for whom and in whom we exist?
We believe and trust in the
Holy One.
Do
you believe and trust in God, the Word incarnate,
who
took our human nature,
died
for us and rose again?
We believe and trust in the
Word.
Do
you believe and trust in God, the Power of the Most High,
who
gives life to the people of God
and
makes Christ known in the world?
We believe and trust in the
Power of the Most High.
This
is the faith of the church. This is our
faith.
We believe and trust in one
God,
Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Amen. [ii]
The Prayers of the
Community
Intercessions,
Petitions and Thanksgivings
The Exchange of the
Peace
May
the peace of Christ be always with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Communion
The Offertory Hymn
‘Lord
Christ, We Praise Your Sacrifice’ Common
Praise #633 (sung to #442)
Prayer over the
Gifts
Creator
of light,
accept the joyful offering of
your Church,
and grant that your Word may
shine in us
as the light that lightens
every nation.
We ask this in the name of the
same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [iii]
Thanksgiving at the
Table
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift
up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let
us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks
and praise.
Blessed
are you, gracious God,
creator
of heaven and earth,
because
in the mystery of the Word made flesh
you
have caused a new light to shine in our hearts,
to
give knowledge of salvation
in
the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Now
with angels and archangels
and
the whole company of heaven,
we
lift our voices
to
proclaim the glory of your name. [iv]
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. [v]
Holy
One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:
Blessed
are you for the birth of creation.
Blessed
are you in the darkness and in the light.
Blessed
are you for your promise to your people.
Blessed
are you for the prophets’ hopes and dreams.
Blessed
are you for Mary and Joseph’s openness to your will.
Blessed
are you for your Son, Jesus, the Word made flesh.
In
the night in which he was betrayed,
our
Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke
it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take
and eat; this is my body given for you.
Do
this for the remembrance of me.
Again,
after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and
gave it for all to drink, saying:
This
cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed
for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do
this for the remembrance of me.
[Therefore
let] us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
With
this bread and cup we remember
your
Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.
We
remember our new birth in his death and resurrection.
We
look with hope for his coming.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Holy
God, we long for your Spirit.
Come
among us. Bless this meal.
May
your Word take flesh in us.
Awaken
your people. Fill us with your light.
Bring
the gift of peace on earth.
Come, Holy Spirit.
All
praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel,
Word
of God incarnate, Power of the Most High,
one
God, now and for ever. Amen. [vi]
The Lord’s Prayer
As
our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom 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 kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen. [vii]
The Breaking of the
Bread
We
break the bread of life,
and
that life is the light of the world
God here among us,
light in the midst of us,
bring us to light and life.
The
gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
The Communion
Communion Hymn
‘Love
Came Down at Christmas’ Common Praise
#131
The Sending Forth of
the Community
Blessing of the
Candles
Let
us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks
and praise.
Blessed
are you, God of steadfast love,
You
sent your Word to be the dawn of redemption and
to
scatter the darkness of sin and despair from our path.
We
join your servants Anna and Simeon
in
giving thanks for the freedom Christ brings.
May
we who offer these candles
become
vessels of his light
so
that all the world may glory in the splendour of your peace.
Blessed
are you, O God,
who
gives us light in our darkness. Amen.
The
candles are distributed to the members of the congregation. These candles may be taken home and lit
during the evening meal.
Prayer after
Communion
God
for whom we wait,
you fulfilled the hope of
Simeon
and gladdened the heart of
Anna,
who together welcomed the
Messiah.
Complete in us your perfect
will,
that we in Christ may share in
your reign of peace and justice;
for he is Lord for ever and
ever. Amen.
Glory
to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation
to generation,
in the Church and in Christ
Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Closing Hymn
‘Spirit,
Come, Dispel Our Sadness’ Common Praise
#252 (sung to #223)
Dismissal
The
Deacon or Assisting Minister sends the Community forth, saying,
Go
forth to reveal Christ in the world.
Thanks be to God.
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