Opening music – When the saints go marching in
Call to worship – collect for All Saints Day (MWB)
Holy God,
you have called witnesses from every nation
and revealed your glory in their lives.
Grant to us the same faith and love
that, following their example,
we may be sustained by their fellowship
and rejoice in their triumph;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HYMN StF 745 For all the saints
1 For all the saints who from their labours rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blest:
Alleluia, alleluia!
2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou in the darkness still their one true light:
Alleluia, alleluia!
3 O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win, with them, the victor’s crown of gold!
Alleluia, alleluia!
4 O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine:
Alleluia, alleluia!
5 And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong:
Alleluia, alleluia!
6 The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest;
sweet is the calm of paradise the blest:
Alleluia, alleluia!
7 But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day:
the saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the King of Glory passes on his way!
Alleluia, alleluia!
8 From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, alleluia!
William Walsham How (1823–1867)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 745.
Prayers (from the Presbyterian Church of Canada)
Opening responses
Praise the Lord, all you saints!
Praise God, all you heavenly hosts!
Let us praise the name of the Lord:
For the name of God is above all names!
Let us praise the Lord as long as we live;
We will sing praises to God now and evermore.
Prayers of Adoration and Confession
God of promise and purpose,
in you we live and move and have our being.
You are the Fountain of life, and you refresh us.
You are the Light of the world, and you show us the way.
You are the Spirit of life, and you move in us each new day.
So, we join our voices with the angels and archangels,
with the saints and disciples of every time and place,
to worship you as Creator, Healer, and Source of our hope and our joy.
Praise be to you, God most holy, ever Three and ever One,
world without end. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
Let us confess our sins
Silence
God of goodness and mercy,
we have heard your call to put our faith into action,
but fear holds us back.
We stay silent rather than speak up when things go wrong.
There is work to be done in Jesus’ name,
but we often seek an easier way.
Forgive us, O God, and give us courage and commitment
to serve as your saints in this time and this place,
whatever the challenges may be.
Silence
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Know that you are forgiven by God’s great mercy,
and have the grace to forgive each other, just as you have been forgiven. Amen
Collect
Merciful Lord,
you have taught us through your Son
that love is the fulfilling of the law.
Grant that we may love you with our whole heart
and our neighbours as ourselves;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reading Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Psalm 119:1-8
Happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who keep his decrees,
who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways.
You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
O that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous ordinances.
I will observe your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.
Reading Hebrews 9:11-14
But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!
Hymn StF 320 Father, whose everlasting love
1 Father, whose everlasting love
your only Son for sinners gave,
whose grace to all did freely move,
and sent him down the world to save:
2 Help us your mercy to extol,
immense, unfathomed, unconfined;
to praise the Lamb who died for all,
the Saviour of all humankind.
3 Your undistinguishing regard
was cast on Adam’s fallen race;
for all you have in Christ prepared
sufficient, sovereign, saving grace.
4 The world he suffered to redeem;
for all he has the atonement made;
for those who will not come to him
the ransom of his life was paid.
5 Arise, O God, maintain your cause!
The fullness of the nations call;
lift up the standard of your cross,
and all shall own you died for all.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 320.
Gospel Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.
Reflection
We started the service this morning with All Saints – so I think it is right to pause for a moment and remember those persons of faith who have inspired us. It is quite possible that they may be well known, with right ups in dictionaries of biography and even with their own special day. But All Saints not only recognises that there are just not enough days in the year for each saint to have their own, but some of the saints are less known, more local, personal and intimate.
(If your reading this online or at home, you may want to spend a few moments thinking about who those saints are and giving thanks to God)
It’s tempting to start to list them, but I’m bound to miss someone out or name someone who you think was no better than they ought to be. But then again saints are not always perfect. Though we might strive for Christian perfection, very few achieve it. And somehow that’s reassuring to those of us who know just how far off we are. At least the letter to the Hebrews remains us that it is through Christ that we are reconciled with God, set free to do God’s will.
The Greatest Commandments
Earlier in chapter 12, Mark tells us that Jesus is debating with the Sadducees, and it is the quality of this debate that leads the Scribe to ask him a question. I get the impression that they are not out to trick Jesus, but are in fact treating him as an equal. There is some degree of respect here – perhaps an indication that Jesus has studied hard and knows how to apply his learning. So, he’s asked what is the first commandment?
Interestingly Jesus gives them two for the price of one:
‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’
The second doesn’t appear in the list we refer to as the Ten Commandments (go and look them up if you don’t believe me), which can be quite shocking as these two commandments are so linked in our minds with each other.
They are presented as a pair that belong together, and which cannot be separated. If you truly love God then you will love your neighbour. If you love your neighbour, then you are at the very least on your way to loving God – even if you are not sure what or who God is or even if God exists at all. Which I suppose reminds me of Jesus saying who is not against us is for us.
Hymn StF 251 Jesus Christ is waiting
1 Jesus Christ is waiting,
waiting in the streets;
no one is his neighbour,
all alone he eats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I am lonely too:
make me, friend or stranger,
fit to wait on you.
2 Jesus Christ is raging,
raging in the streets,
where injustice spirals
and real hope retreats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I am angry too:
in the Kingdom’s causes
let me rage with you.
3 Jesus Christ is healing,
healing in the streets,
curing those who suffer,
touching those he greets.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I have pity too:
let my care be active,
healing, just like you.
4 Jesus Christ is dancing,
dancing in the streets,
where each sign of hatred
he, with love, defeats.
Listen, Lord Jesus,
I should triumph too:
where good conquers evil
let me dance with you.
5 Jesus Christ is calling,
calling in the streets,
‘Who will join my journey?
I will guide their feet.’
Listen, Lord Jesus,
let my fears be few:
walk one step before me;
I will follow you.
John L. Bell (b. 1949) and Graham Maule (b. 1958) Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 251 Words: From Enemy of Apathy © 1988, WGRG, Iona Community, Glasgow G2 3DH Scotland. www.wgrg.co.uk
Prayers of intercession (Christine Odell with additional material by Peter Smith)
God, our father and mother, our creator and saviour, make us a people of love.
Fill us with love for you.
Fill us with love for one another
This is our prayer:
help us to know and do your will.
Take our hearts, and warm them,
that all our relationships may be transformed
and we may offer acceptance, concern and love
and radiate peace, hope and joy.
This is our prayer:
help us to know and do your will.
Take our souls, and nurture them,
that we may grow in goodness and faith
into the full stature of those who live in Christ,
drawing ever closer to you.
This is our prayer:
help us to know and do your will.
Take our minds, and enlighten them.
that we may know you as our truth
and share that life-giving knowledge
with words of wisdom and conviction.
This is our prayer:
help us to know and do your will.
Take us, and use us,,
that the whole of our lives
may be an act of worship
to the glory of your love.
This is our prayer:
help us to know and do your will.
Take our hopes and dreams for peace and justice.
Help us in our campaigning and voting to make them a reality
Be with the people of the United States of America as they go to the polls
and grant them wisdom and discernment in their choices.
This is our prayer:
Help all people to know and do your will.
We bring before you our particular concerns….
These are our prayers:
help us to know and do your will.
God, our hope and our salvation, we pray
that our love for you, and your love for us
may give us grace to love ourselves
and the courage and understanding to love others.
Teach us to love without counting the cost,
to give our very selves as Christ gave himself for us.
This is our prayer:
help us to know and do your will. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
Hymn StF 364 O for a thousand tongues to sing
1 O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!
2 My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of your name.
3 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.
4 He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean,
his blood availed for me.
5 He speaks; and, listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice;
the humble poor believe.
6 See all your sins on Jesus laid:
the Lamb of God was slain;
his soul was once an offering made
that all may heaven gain.
7 In Christ, our Head, you then shall know,
shall feel, your sins forgiven,
anticipate your heaven below,
and own that love is heaven.
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)
Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 364.
Blessing (Peter Smith)
Go in faith, in the power of the Holy Spirit,
To love God and love your neighbour with all that you.
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon you and always. Amen.
