Song of the ages

Psalm 148 and John 1 

This One commanded

This One created

This One now here with us 

We praise the Word

We praise You, Wisdom,

Jesus, we praise Your Holy being 

Sun and moon and shining stars

Heavens and waters and earth

praise You, present through all creation 

Promise and presence

Prophet and Messiah

Your song is sung through time 

Praise to our hope and help

Psalm 146 

We praise you Holy One! 

We sing our praise to you alone,

may the song endure,

your praises never end! 

You live, give life, 

you are always; 

Holy One, you endure,

your praises never end! 

You are our help,

you are our hope,

Creator of sea and land and sky, 

faithful through all of time. 

You are Justice,

you, Liberation,

you, help and hope

for the poor. 

Your way is release

for captives, sight

for the blind and home

for stranger, widow, orphan. 

You lift up,

you open gates,

you are Mercy

and Lovingkindness. 

We praise you Holy One;

we sing praise to you alone; 

may the song endure,

your praises never end! 

Who is Messiah?

Mark 8:27–38 

failed saviour

rejected hope

source of shame: 

who is Messiah? 

Jesus, we say you are 

peaceful resister 

upturned expectation 

life beyond death

who is Messiah? 

Jesus, we say you are 

with our praise

with our confession

with our prayer

for one another

Jesus, we say 

you are our Messiah! 

True Bread

John 6:24–35 

We seek you for the bread you feed us;

we look for you, who is bread of life. 

The work of God is trust in you: 

we trust, we follow, we work for you. 

Give us the bread that falls from heaven;

feed us, quench our thirst, Son of Holy One. 

with Jesus

John 6:1–21 

withdraw to the mountaintop,

the sacred height, the thin

place; withdraw into the Presence

of God 

follow the Son of Holy One,

through valleys, over hills, follow

the Son of Holy One, seek, and find

God's peace 

look for the little one, the poor,

the young, the unlikely one – look

where you think you can not look and see

your God 

 

Who is this?

Mark 4: 35–41 

 

We obey him,

follow where he leads,

yet who is he,

this Jesus? 

 

We trust him,

his power and his wisdom,

yet who is he,

this Jesus? 

 

We fear him,

who rebukes wind and sea –

who is he,

this Jesus? 

Testify

John 15:26–27 

Advocate

Spirit

Breath

Friend

sent by

Jesus

Wisdom

Christ

Word 

from the 

Father

Mother

Maker

Creator 

Bear witness

Bear witness

Bear witness to Holy One. 

Amen. 

Magnificent

Psalm 93 

Holy One, she is Queen, 

majestic, magnificent,

she is resplendent authority. 

He established the world

and it shall not be undone. 

Your dominion is all;

You are timeless, eternal! 

Floods rise, Holy One,

floods rise, and raise their voice;

floods roar their awe of you! 

How the waters thunder: 

mighty, majestic, the waves, the sea – 

and you are more!

Holy One is so much more! 

We can trust your voice;

we affirm your unique holiness.

Forever, forever, Holy One,

our Divine Monarch Magnificent! 

As your people

Acts 8:26–40 

We pray for open hearts,

minds enquiring

spirits searching. 

Like the court official

reaching for Holy One

travelling to the Sacred Home

of the people of God, 

may we travel Ethiopia

to Jerusalem distances

and more

to worship you

to gather together

as your people. 

We pray for open hearts,

minds enquiring

spirits searching. 

Like Philip, in tune

with Holy One, responding

to the call to go,

may we get up and go

with no more clarity than 'towards –' 

with trust

with joy

playing our part in the Body

of your people. 

We pray for open hearts,

minds enquiring

spirits searching. 

Like the unnamed foreigner

reaching for Holy One,

searching the Story for Spirit,

for meaning, for hope,

may we welcome fellow travellers

through these sacred traditions

and listen

and wonder

and enter the Story together

as your people. 

We pray for open hearts,

minds enquiring

spirits searching. 

Like Philip, open, ready

to run towards the unknown

to listen

to accept an invitation

to enter the story together, 

may we run

together to worship

together to celebrate

you

as your people. 

Amen. 

Good Friday Prayers

John 18:1 – 19:42 

1. 'I am he' 

Praise/ Call to worship 

You are the one we look for

You are the one we seek

You are the one we follow

You, the one we try to defend

You are the one who corrects,

the one who shows the Way

You are the one who heals,

You, the one who always forgives

You are the one we look for

You are the one we seek

Amen 

2. 'The cock crowed' 

Confession 

You saw it

You said it

You knew 

You know our hope

You know our fear

You know our tendency to let fear win

We're sorry

We are so sorry

With Peter, we are dismayed 

3. 'Standing near the cross' 

Intercession 

we pray for the soldiers,

the ones following orders

they may prefer to ignore

we pray for the leaders

giving orders, making judgements,

not always able to be courageous 

we pray for parents and children,

for goodbyes, for new connections,

we pray for the ones we love 

we pray for ourselves

encountering this story again: 

confront us, disturb us, leave us not unchanged 

Praise the Maker

Lent 2. Year B

Genesis 17:1–7, 15–16 

People of Holy One: remember

who is our God – 

the Maker of all that is,

the Maker of covenants

with Noah and all that lives,

with Abraham and Sarah

and all of their descendants;

the Maker of life

from barren wombs, 

so much life to match the stars

in sparkling, dancing, number – 

this – this! – is the One

we come to worship. 

Come now, good people,

worship Holy One! 

listen to the voices

 

Matthew 2:13–23 

a voice in a dream

whispers, urges – go! 

take mother and flee,

take child and run for his life

to Egypt – 

get up

Joseph

go! 

a voice cries out

wailing, loud lamentation,

Bethlehem will not be consoled

weeping for her children,

will not be consoled,

for they are 

no more 

a voice. a dream. once

more – again – get up! 

I have called you,

called him out of Egypt

come home, Israel is waiting

but make a new home

to call him Nazarean

go there, go now

come to the place

I call you

home

Ancient Song of Release

Isaiah 52:7–10 

When we tell the story 

of a child born to change the world,

we sing in heart and voice,

in body, soul, and mind; 

we sing with all creation 

as if at last released 

from all that held us captive – 

How beautiful are the feet!

Even the feet, so wonderful

in all the earth, the feet

of the messenger who brings

us this song of release to sing! 

How beautiful the hands

of these angels who open again

our tired eyes to see again 

that Holy One is here! 

How beautiful the song, even

on the voice of ruins, the stones

and rubble of our broken lives

sing too of liberation, sing

out with joy! What joy! 

Look, earth! Listen, stars! 

Shout, dance, all that lives – 

for the life restored by Holy One

is beautiful indeed! 

We tell the story and we sing

the ancient song of liberation, 

release from captivity,

release into life! 

Sing the song of joy, today, 

sing every day of joy,

fro life is born, Christ is born

again, Holy One's promises 

come true – rejoice! 

Who is Holy One?

Isaiah 64:1–4 

Advent 1: Hope 

Who is Holy One? 

The One who dwells in heaven

The One who dwells on hearth 

The One whose hand made all things

The One whose hand holds all things 

The One who looks with favour on a humble spirit

The One who looks with favour on the receptive heart 

The One rejected by those who diminish life 

The One rejected by those who worship idols 

The One we did not answer when called 

The One we hurt with our turning away 

The One who calls again, anger put aside 

The One who redeems again, Love personified  

like a thief in the night

 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 

in darkest hours, close

folding in to self – safe: 

now, he draws you out! 

You are wondrous

Psalm 106:1–6, 19–23 

Praise Holy One! 

Give voice to your gratitude,

for the goodness of Holy One,

whose lovingkindness endures always! 

We haven't the words

to say it all – 

the wonder of Holy One,

the depth of our thanks! 

But we know joy, living 

out your justice, sharing 

the love we know in you. 

Remember me, we cry, 

remember, Holy One, 

your people – do not forget. 

We want to rejoice, 

to celebrate the fulfilment

of your Dream. 

We know we have wronged you,

us, our ancestors before us; 

we have participated in tyranny: 

forgive us

forgive us. 

We make idols, worship images,

success, wealth, status, ourselves,

when we are made to worship you: 

forgive us

forgive us. 

We forget you, Holy One,

who hears our cries, who rescues

promises, redeems our lives: 

forgive us

forgive us. 

You could choose to leave us, 

unfaithful, inconstant, as we are;

we plead with you again, again, 

forgive us

forgive us. 

Thank you for not turning from us,

we sigh with relief, for our lives.

You are wondrous, awesome, faithful: 

help us remember

help us remember. 

Amen. 

instead of arguing ...

Matthew 21:23–32

You call us to join you
in the House of the Holy,

relinquish our seats,

shut our mouths – 

and hear in the silence

the voice of Wisdom,

and finally fall to our knees. 

Sing with your all

Psalm 149 

Praise Holy One! 

Sing a new song,

proclaim Divine wonder

among the people. 

Be glad in your Maker,

rejoice in your Liberator;

dance your praise, play

tambourine, piano, trumpet! 

Holy One delights

in their people,

showers blessings 

on the humble. 

Sing from where you are,

home, work, streets, fields;

sing with your being, 

with your love, your peace, your kindness! 

Praise Holy One!

Sing a new song,

proclaim Divine wonder,

dance, play, love! 

Breathe

Exodus 3:1–15 

In your presence

Psalm 124 

A prayer of thanks 

We give thanks for your Presence, Holy One:

when trouble threatens to swallow us whole,

in angry fires, on raging seas,

in wild storms, on rising floodwaters,

you do not desert us, we are not alone. 

Like prey released, or birds

set free from cage and snare

to fly again – this joy is ours

when we are in your Presence, Holy One: 

thank you, our help, our joy, our freedom!