The Lord’s Prayer
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 is love: let heaven adore him;
God is love: let Earth rejoice;
let creation sing before him,
and exalt him with one voice.
He who laid the Earth’s foundation,
he who spread the heaven’s above,
he who breathes through all creation,
he is love, eternal love.
God is love, and is enfolding
all the world in one embrace;
his unfailing grasp is holding
every child of every race;
and when human hearts are breaking
under sorrow’s iron rod,
that same sorrow, that same aching
wrings with pain the heart of God.
God is love: and though with blindness
sin affects and clouds the will,
God’s eternal loving-kindness
holds us fast and guides us still.
Sin and hell and death shall never
o’er us final triumph gain;
God is love, so Love for ever
o’er the universe must reign.
Timothy Rees (1874-1939)
Final prayer and blessing
For loving the world and knowing our names
Thank you God.
For your strength that fills us
and your love that heals us
Thank you God.
For your presence with us
and for your hand that leads us
Thank you God.
May God give to you and all whom you love
his comfort and his peace, his light and his joy,
in this world and the next;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you, and remain with you this day and for ever. Amen.
Please stay for refreshments in the Guild Hall
and take this sheet and a candle home with you
as a reminder of today’s ceremony.
We thank the staff and congregation of Christ the Cornerstone for use of their church, and the Willen volunteers who have sung and read to us today.
WILLEN HOSPICE
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Christ the Cornerstone
Sunday 13th July 2008
Welcome to this memorial of those who died about a year ago in the care of, or known to,
Willen Hospice.
We are pleased that children are here to share the occasion. If they are getting too restless for your comfort, feel welcome to walk them about a bit. Also, all exits open into a circular corridor which leads to toilets in several locations.
There is no collection but if you still wish to make a donation there is a basket at each exit. If you are a UK taxpayer, by using the envelopes by the baskets (and giving the information required) we gain a further 28p in the pound at no extra cost to you.
Please respond with the words in bold type
We are in the presence of God
in our need and in our sorrow.
We are in the presence of God
in thankfulness for the life we knew and shared.
We are in the presence of God
seeking hope and courage for the future
We are in the presence of God
who has promised to be with us always, till the end of time.
Hymn
For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flow’r,
sun and moon and stars of light:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on Earth, and friends above,
pleasures pure and undefiled:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
For each perfect gift of thine,
to our race so freely giv’n,
graces human and divine,
flow’rs of Earth and buds of heav’n:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
Conrad Kocher (1786-1872)
A prayer of confession
Lord God, I am troubled at times;
about mistakes made, opportunities missed, words that hurt.
I am truly sorry. Forgive me. Heal my regrets,
and help me to forgive
any wrongs done to me,
so that I may find peace of mind
and rediscover a life of joy and freedom.
Amen.
All who are truly sorry, God knows your deepest longings. Know that nothing in the past, the present, or the future, nothing in life or even in death can separate us from the love of God.You are forgiven. Do not punish yourselves any longer, you are free. Be at peace. Amen.
A Reading from the Bible
Adapted from Genesis, chapter 1
Address
Hymn
For the fruits of all creation
thanks be to God;
for his gifts to every nation,
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour,
God's will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God's will is done;
in our world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all that love has found us,
thanks be to God.
F. Pratt Green (b. 1903)
© Oxford University Press
The Commemoration
We remember in love…
The names of your loved ones will now be read out (in alphabetical order). Candles have always symbolised the prayer we cannot put into words, a light for guidance and a symbol of Christ who conquered death and rose to eternal life.
When the names have been read we pray together…
Eternal God, from whose love we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for those we remember today; we commend them to your love, and place our trust in your kingdom of eternal joy. Amen.
The choir will sing
Be still for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here
Prayers
We remember with thanksgiving all who we have named today. Thank you for everything we remember and treasure about them, for all that they mean to us. Take care of them, Lord, until we all reach that time and place where every tear is dry, every question answered and all things are made new.
Lord in your love, hear our prayer.
Father of all mercy and giver of all comfort, give hope to those who are sad, console those who still miss someone special, grant peace to those who are angry, Help us to cast every care onto you. And guide us gently by your Holy Spirit through the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. In thankfulness for the past, help us to live our lives to the full in love and joy and peace.
Lord in your love, hear our prayer.
Loving God, we thank you for making us in your likeness, with a spirit of concern and love. Thank you for giving us one another to care for; child, parent, spouse, friend or neighbour. Bless all who work in the medical and social professions, in surgeries, hospitals, Willen Hospice and in the community. Keep us sensitive to the needs of others and give us the grace to respond with patience and generosity.
Lord, in your love, hear our prayer.