transcript sea sunday 2011
Good morning to you all and a warm welcome to our studio service on this the 2nd Sunday in July, a Sunday which is kept by many different denominations as Sea Sunday, a time when the people of God give thanks for those who go to sea and those who minister to them. Let us listen to our first hymn.
HYMN: Praise My Soul the King of heaven:
Kings College Choir, Cambridge (2.34)
OPENING PRAYER.
We come together as the family of God in our Father’s presence to offer him praise and thanksgiving for the ministry of the church among seafarers; to hear and receive his holy word; to bring before him the needs of the world, the missionary work of his church and to pray for seafarers and their families of every nation; to ask his forgiveness for our sins and to seek his grace, through his Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.
My Name is Stephen Miller and joining me for this service today are Captain Luca Ferrerio from the Mission to Seafarers, Father Valan Arockiaswamy from the Apostleship of the Sea, The Reverend Martina Platte from the German Seamen’s Mission and The Reverend Maria Louize Helbo from the Danish Seamen’s Church.
We begin our worship this morning as we call to mind our sins and ask God for his forgiveness:
Confession
Let us be still for a moment and think about all those things
that we need to say sorry to God for. (Pause for silent
reflection)
We are sorry for all the things that we have said this
week which have hurt others, especially for those words said
in anger or said without thinking about the consequences.
Help us to control our tongues in the coming week.
All: Father forgive us.
We are sorry for all the things that we have done this week
which have hurt others, especially for those things that we
have done deliberately or done without thinking. Help us to
control our actions that others won’t be hurt by what we do in
the coming week.
All: Father forgive us.
We are sorry for all our bad thoughts this week, especially
those about people we know and love. Help us to see the
good in others in the coming week.
All: Father forgive us.
We are sorry for not caring about the needs of others –
especially those we depend on like seafarers who bring
us so much of what we need for our daily lives. Help us
to remember those we can so easily forget about.
All: Father forgive us.
Priest/Leader: For God did not send his son Jesus Christ
into the world to condemn the world but to save the world
through him. May each one of us know God’s forgiveness
and hope in our lives.
Amen
Hymn: Be Still my Soul: Choir of Paisley Abbey with Neilo Mackie, Tenor (4.18)
Almighty God on this Sea Sunday we pray for all who go
down to the sea in ships, that you will protect them as they
sail, keep them safe from all the dangers of the sea and give
them courage when they face storms. May they know your
blessing on the families that they leave behind. We ask this
in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Our first reading comes from The Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 42, verses 1-9.
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
This is what God the LORD says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
“I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”
We continue our worship as we hear the words of Psalm 67 set to music by William Mathias and sung by the Choir of St. John’s Elora, Toronto, “Let the people praise thee O God” (5.30)
A reading from The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 27, verses 1-12.
1 When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. 2 We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
3 The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. 4 From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8 We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea.
9 Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Day of Atonement. So Paul warned them, 10 “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12 Since the harbour was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbour in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
Hymn: All Creatures of our God and King (Royal School of Church Music, massed choirs) (4.40)
The Gospel
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. Luke, Chapter 4, verses 16-21.
All: Glory to you O Lord.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
This is the Gospel of Christ
All: Praise to you, O Christ
Hymn: Christ is made the sure foundation. Kings College Choir, Cambridge (4.02)
Hymn: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. Kings College Choir, Cambridge (3.34)
Intercessions
Let us thank God who has brought us together to this day, who sustains us by his power, strengthens us by his Spirit and nourishes us with his word. May we worship him in spirit and in truth. Lord hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Today we pray for the work of Seamens’ Missions, their
chaplains and ships visitors around the world as they care
for and welcome seafarers. We pray that that you will help
them in their work of caring for and supporting seafarers. Lord hear us
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for seafarers as they work on ships, often many
miles from home, missing their families and facing dangers
and hardships such as piracy, storms, little time in port and
loneliness. We ask that you keep them safe in their work,
protect them when they face storms and help them to keep
in touch with their families.
Lord hear us.
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for the families of seafarers who are left at home.
We pray for wives and husbands as they miss their partners
and care for their families, for children as they miss a parent
and for others as they miss a boy or girl friend, grandparent
or son or daughter. Bless those who remain at home whilst
a loved one is away at sea. Lord hear us.
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for all ship owners that they will take their
responsibility seriously to care for those who crew their
ships. We pray that all ships may be properly maintained
and kept in a seaworthy condition. We pray for protection
on all ships and their crews when they sail in seas affected
by piracy. Help Mission chaplains and others as they care
for seafarers who have experienced a piracy attack. Lord Hear us.
Lord graciously hear us.
We pray for ourselves that we may have grateful hearts
for all the food and other necessities of daily life that we so
easily take for granted. Help us to remember the seafarers
who work so hard that we can enjoy an easy life. Lord hear us.
Lord graciously hear us.
Let us join together in the words that our Lord Jesus himself
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 this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Hymn: God be in my head .Kings College Choir, Cambridge (1.42)
Creator and Father of all, we pray for those who go down to the sea in ships and on whom we depend. Bless them and those who long for their safe return and bring us all to your kingdom, where there is no sorrow, no tears, but joy and life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord God, of the universe, the fertile land, the swarming sea, bless those who leave their families and friends to sail the seas in dangerous and lonely conditions to make a living and to bring us the things we depend on. May they be given courage when they are in danger; friendship when they are lonely; strength when they are weary; and hope when they feel discouraged, so that they may return to loved ones with the knowledge of a good job done. Give them faith when they doubt, hope when they despair, and the joy of home-coming through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father, you sent your Holy Spirit to guide and give courage to the saints of old as they crossed hostile seas carrying the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you that you brought them safely to land, enabling them to preach the good news of your kingdom. Guide us today with the same Spirit, as we journey through the troubled waters of our lives - when battered, by the winds of doubt and change, strengthen our resolve and purpose, so that standing firm on the rock of our faith we may ever feel your presence with us on our pilgrimage to that distant shore which is our heavenly home. Amen.
Hymn: Eternal Father strong to save – the choir of St Mark’s Church North Audley Street.(3.07)
The Blessing.
May the love of the Lord Jesus
Draw us to himself.
May the power of the Lord Jesus
Strengthen us in his service;
May the joy of the Lord Jesus
Fill our souls.
May the blessing of God Almighty,
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
Be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen
HYMN: Gaelic Blessing. Priests (2.49)