The Gathering

Behold, our defender,

O God, and look upon the face of your anointed.

For one day in your courts is better than a thousand.

(Psalm 84. 8, 9)

 

May the Lord be with you

and also with you.

 

We wait for your loving kindess, O God

in the midst of your temple.

 

Lord, open our lips

and we shall praise your name.

 

Beloved in Christ,

we have come together to offer our worship and praise and thanksgiving,

to hear and receive God’s holy word,

and to give thanks for the sixty year reign of Elizabeth our Queen.

We pray for her continued health and wisdom

that by the power of the Holy Spirit

she may continue to give herself to the service of God.

We commit ourselves afresh to serve our community

and our nation that the earth may be filled

with God’s justice, love and peace.

 

Hymn

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

 

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread thro' all the earth abroad
the honours of your name.

 

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace.

 

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

 

To God all glory, praise, and love
be now and ever given
by saints below and saints above,
the Church in earth and heaven.

 

Prayers of Penitence

We come to God as one from whom no secrets are hidden,

to ask for his forgiveness and peace.

 

God be gracious to us and bless us,

and make your face shine upon us:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

 

May your ways be known on the earth,

your saving power among the nations:

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

 

You, Lord, have made known your salvation,

and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy

 

The almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon and forgiveness of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

The Gloria

Sing a song of all God’s glory

Sing of all that he has done

Sing a song that tells his story

And his vict’ry through his son

  God of mercy, and forgiveness

  We will only worship you

 

God made us the world we live in

But we soon began to roam

If our sins are not forgiven

We will never go back home

  God of mercy, and forgiveness

  We will only worship you

 

God sent us his son to save us

But we put him on a cross

even there he then forgave us

And so freed us through his loss

  God of mercy, and forgiveness

  We will only worship you

 

The Collect

Let us pray for Elizabeth our Queen and all God’s people.

 

Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness,

bless our Sovereign Lady,  Queen Elizabeth,

and all who are in authority under her;

that they may order all things in wisdom and equity,

righteousness and peace,

to the honour and glory of your name

and the good of your Church and people;

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

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement.  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval;  for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.  For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing.  Pay to all what is due to them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honour to whom honour is due.

Romans 13. 1-7

 

This is the word of the Lord.   

Thanks be to God.

 

Hymn

God is working his purpose out,
as year succeeds to year;
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be:
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

 

From utmost east to utmost west,
where human feet have trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God:
“Give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.”

Let us go forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world.
Let us all fight with sorrow and sin
to set the captives free,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

 

All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blesses the deed.
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed.
Yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

 

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.  Here is Wisdom;  This is the royal Law;

These are the lively Oracles of God.  Alleluia.

 

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

So the Pharisees sent their disciples to Jesus saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’  But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?  Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius.  Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’  They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’  When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

 

This is the Gospel of the Lord.  Praise to you, O Christ.

 

Sermon

We listen to the sermon.

 

 Hymn

The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me down to lie
In pastures green; he leadeth me
The quiet waters by.

 

My soul he doth restore again,
And me to walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E’en for his own name’s sake.

 

Yea, though I walk through

  death’s dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For thou art with me; and thy rod
And staff me comfort still.

 

My table thou hast furnished
In presence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint,
And my cup overflows.

 

Goodness and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God’s house forever more
My dwelling place shall be.

 

Prayers of Intercession

God of time and eternity,

whose Son reigns as servant, not master;

we give you thanks and praise

that you have blessed this Nation, the Realms and Territories

with Elizabeth

our beloved and glorious Queen.

In this year of Jubilee,

grant her your gifts of love and joy and peace

as she continues in faithful obedience to you, her Lord and God

and in devoted service to her lands and peoples,

and those of the Commonwealth,

now and all the days of her life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

O Lord and heavenly Father,

who exalts the humble and strengthens your people,

and who consecrated kings, priests and prophets

by anointing them with the oil of gladness:

bless Elizabeth our Queen.

Strengthen her with

the Spirit of wisdom and government,

the Spirit of counsel and strength,

the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness,

   and continue to fill her, O Lord, with your holy fear,

now and for ever;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

O God, the crown of the faithful,

bless and sanctify your servant Elizabeth

upon whose head a crown was placed

as a sign of royal majesty.

Fill her day by day with your abundant grace

and with all charitable virtues;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Loving God,

you have taught us that the power of the heart

is greater than the power of wealth and might:

Hear us as we pray for the fulfilment of your reign;

We ask this through Jesus Christ our King;

to him be glory and power for ever.

Amen.

 

Hymn

Praise to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all His words most wonderful,
Most sure in all His ways.

 

O loving wisdom of our God!
When all was sin and shame,
A second Adam to the fight
And to the rescue came.

 

O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
Which did in Adam fall,
Should strive afresh against the foe,
Should strive and should prevail.

 

And that a higher gift than grace
Should flesh and blood refine,
God's Presence and His very Self,
And Essence all divine.

 

O generous love! that He, Who smote,
In Man for man the foe,
The double agony in Man
For man should undergo.

 

And in the garden secretly,
And on the Cross on high,
Should teach His brethren, and inspire
To suffer and to die.

 

Praise to the Holiest in the height,
And in the depth be praise;
In all His words most wonderful,
Most sure in all His ways.

 

The Dismissal

Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,

your saving power among all peoples.

Renew your Church in holiness

and help us to serve you with joy.

Guide the leaders of this and every nation,

that justice may prevail throughout the world.

Let not the needy be forgotten,

nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Make us instruments of your peace

and let your glory be over all the earth.

 

May God crown you with glory and righteousness,

that you may obtain the crown of an everlasting kingdom

by the gift of him whose kingdom endures forever;

and the blessing of God almighty

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Be with you all for evermore

Amen.

 

National Anthem

God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen.

 

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign.
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen.