United Benefice of St.Mary, Higham Ferrers, and St. John, Chelveston
The United Benefice of
St Mary the Virgin, Higham Ferrers
with St John the Baptist, Chelveston-cum-Caldecott
THE WONDER OF CREATION
Sunday 24th November
Feast of Christ the King
A royal fanfare greets us as Father Paul introduces our Meeting Point service for the feast of Christ the King
HYMN
Christ triumphant, ever reigning,
Saviour, Master, King!
Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining,
hear us as we sing:
Yours the glory and the crown,
the high renown, the eternal name.
Suffering servant, scorned, ill - treated,
victim crucified!
death is through the cross defeated,
sinners justified:
Yours the glory...
Priestly king, enthroned for ever
high in heaven above!
sin and death and hell shall never
stifle hymns of love:
Yours the glory...
So, our hearts and voices raising
through the ages long,
ceaselessly upon you gazing,
this shall be our song:
Yours the glory...
Words; Michael Saward (1932 - 2015)
Music: John Barnard (b. 1948)
BIBLE READING John 18:33-37
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?"
Pilate replied, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here."
Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”
HYMN
Rejoice, the Lord is King! your Lord and King adore;
mortals give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the saviour, reigns, the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains he took his seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail, he rules both earth and heaven,
the keys of death and hell are to our Jesus given;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
He sits at God's right hand till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command, and fall beneath his feet:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the Judge shall come,
and take his servants up to their eternal home.
We soon shall hear the archangel's voice;
God's trumpet call shall sound, rejoice!
Words:- Charles Wesley,
Music G.F. Handel
​
REFLECTION ON KINGS AND RIVAL KINGDOMS
A PRAYER AND A BLESSING
HYMN
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne;
hark, how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of life
Who triumphs o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those he came to save
His glories now we sing
Who died and rose on high
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die
Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds yet visible above
in beauty glorified:
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me;
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.
Words: Matthew Bridges (1800-1894)
Music: DIADEMATA George Elvey (1816-1893)
Material used in this service is copyright of its respective rights owners. Music and hymn words are reproduced under ONE LICENSE number A-633137, Church Copyright License 2148907 and Music Reproduction License 2216255. Material in this order of service is taken from Common Worship, copyright © The Archbishops’ Council 2000-2006 and is used here with permission. www.commonworship.com.
images by permission of www.christart.com