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Centenary of the birth of the Duke of Edinburgh

Preacher: The Right Reverend David Conner, KCVO, Dean of Windsor.
Organist and Master of the Choristers: James Vivian;
Assistant Director of Music: Luke Bond;
Producer: Philip Billson

Opening announcement from Continuity:

成人论坛 Radio 4. Time now for Sunday Worship, which this morning comes from St George鈥檚 Chapel, Windsor Castle and anticipates the Centenary of the Duke of Edinburgh鈥檚 birth this Thursday. The preacher is the Dean, The Rt Revd David Conner. The second lesson is read by Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex from her home at Bagshot Park and the service is introduced by the Succentor - The Reverend Jonathan Coore.

The Succentor - The Reverend Jonathan Coore: Welcome and sentence and announcement of hymn

Welcome to this service of Mattins 鈥� or Morning Prayer 鈥� on the Centenary of the birth of the late Duke of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness Prince Philip. The College of St George was founded here in 1348 and has fulfilled its vocation to offer daily prayer to Almighty God, unbroken, ever since. Wherever you are taking part in this service, you are most welcome.

The choir now sing the hymn Let all the world in every corner sing:

Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
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Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The Church with psalms must shout,
No door can keep them out;
But above all, the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!

The Succentor - The Reverend Jonathan Coore:

Beloved, we are come together in the presence of almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and shew forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all men such things as their well-being doth require. Wherefore let us kneel in silence, and remember God's presence with us now.

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Confession and Absolution

Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Responses (Radcliffe):

Cantor: O Lord, open thou our lips.
Answer. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Cantor: O God, make speed to save us.
Answer. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Cantor: Praise ye the Lord.
Answer. The Lord's Name be praised.

The Succentor - The Reverend Jonathan Coore: The choir sing Psalm 100

Psalm 100

1听 O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands *
听serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song.
2听 Be ye sure that the Lord he is God *
听it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
3听 O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise *
听be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.
4听 For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting *
听and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Reading: The Reverend Canon Martin Poll

Announcement of First Lesson 1 Sam 8:4-11

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5and said to him, 鈥榊ou are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.鈥� 6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, 鈥楪ive us a king to govern us.鈥� Samuel prayed to the Lord, 7and the Lord said to Samuel, 鈥楲isten to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. 9Now then, listen to their voice; only鈥攜ou shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.鈥�
10 So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11He said, 鈥楾hese will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots;

Benedictus in C (C.V Stanford).

Reading: HRH The Countess of Wessex

Announcement of Second Lesson 2 Cor 4:13-5.1;

13 But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture鈥斺�業 believed, and so I spoke鈥欌�攚e also believe, and so we speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. 15Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16听 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
5 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

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The Succentor:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth :
听听听 And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

听听听 I believe in the Holy Ghost: The holy Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints: The Forgiveness of sins: The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Responses (Radcliffe):
Cantor: The Lord be with you.
Answer. And with thy spirit.
Cantor:听 Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

Cantor:听 O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
Answer. And grant us thy salvation.
Cantor:听 O Lord, save the Queen.
Answer. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Cantor: Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
Answer. And make thy chosen people joyful.
Cantor: O Lord, save thy people.
Answer. And bless thine inheritance.
Cantor: Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Answer. Because there is none other that fighteth for us,
but only thou, O God.
Cantor: O God, make clean our hearts within us.
Answer. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

The Collect of the Day

Cantor: O God, the strength of all them that put their trust in thee, mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping of thy commandments we may please thee听 both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Answer. Amen

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The Collect for Peace

Cantor. O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Answer. Amen

The Collect for Grace

Cantor. O Lord our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.听
Answer. Amen.

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The Reverend Canon Dr Mark Powell: Prayers

We pray for Her Majesty The Queen:
O Lord our Governor, we pray for your servant Elizabeth, set over us in your providence to be our Queen.听 Give her grace and wisdom to fulfil the varied duties of her calling; enrich her in the life of her family and home; and may she always be a source of strength and inspiration to her people, and promote your honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.听 Amen.

Lord and Heavenly Father, as we mark the centenary of the birth of Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, we give thanks for his long life, and his devoted service to the Queen and the nation, and we recall with gratitude his commitment to young people, to the environment, and to the many organisations of which he was Patron. We pray that his legacy will live on in his family and in the many people who have been inspired by his example. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

In this their Chapel, we pray for the Companions of the Order of the Garter:
God save our Gracious Sovereign, and all the Companions, living and departed, of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of the Garter.听 Amen.

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We pray for the church around the world
O Lord our God, accept the fervent prayers of your people; in the multitude of your mercies, look with compassion upon us and all who turn to you for help; for you are gracious, O lover of souls, and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.听 Amen.

We pray for our spiritual journey.
Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth.听 Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Spirit, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

And, finally, we pray for ourselves and for one another, as we say the Grace together:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore.听 Amen.

The choir now sing the hymn Guide me O thou great redeemer:

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell鈥檚 destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan鈥檚 side:
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.

Sermon (The Dean):

May I speak in the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Next Thursday would have been the hundredth birthday of the Duke of Edinburgh. Here, in St George鈥檚 Chapel, we should no doubt have celebrated the occasion with a special service. As it is, it is in the course of an ordinary Sunday Mattins that, quietly and unobtrusively, we mark the hundredth anniversary of Prince Philip鈥檚 birth.

This is not an occasion for eulogy or detailed retrospect, and certainly, he would not have wished for such. However, it could be that there is something to be gleaned from one of the set readings for the day that will prove to be appropriate; somehow resonate.

From our second lesson, that from the writings of St Paul, I select just five words: 鈥淲e do not lose heart鈥�.

In spite of innumerable troubles and personal affliction, Paul had faith in the future. That faith was rooted in the promise, implicit in the resurrection of Jesus, that God鈥檚 love is bound to prevail. So, says St Paul, 鈥淲e do not lose heart.鈥�

Down through the centuries, that primary resurrection conviction has comforted countless Christian people in their pain and bewilderment. It has given reassurance to us that, in spite of all we might be forced to bear, there is a love that will never let us go; will never abandon us. Therefore, though there may be many troubles, 鈥淲e do not lose heart鈥�.

That primary belief has also been a challenge to us. If the love of God really is to have the final word, if love is to be our destiny (the destiny of this world and, indeed, in some mysterious way, the destiny of the whole creation) perhaps we are called to be instruments of that love, working to and for that end.. Unnumbered Christian men and women have accepted the challenge and have given of their all to make this world a kinder and a more just place; a little more in tune with the end for which it is destined. They have often met with antagonism and opposition, yet, because of that primary conviction, they have been able to say, 鈥淲e do not lose heart鈥�.

I dare say that, in the course of his almost one hundred years, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was faced with a host of difficulties; had to endure many setbacks. Yet there is no doubt that he understood the primary Christian conviction, that God鈥檚 love will surely prevail, to be not only a comfort but also a challenge to him. His eyes were ever focussed on a better future to which he might contribute; his mind always exploring ways in which that future might be brought to birth.. At every stage along the way, it is as if he was saying to the rest of us, 鈥淲e do not lose heart鈥�

It is important that we do not hear those words as an invitation simply to grit our teeth and, maybe even grudgingly, to get on with things in a stubborn sort of way. Neither should we hear them as an invitation to adopt false optimism or forced and affected cheerfulness.
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We should hear them as words emerging out of deep and abiding faith, rooted in the primary Christian conviction that God鈥檚 love, expressed in and through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, will endure and prevail. These words, 鈥淲e do not lose heart鈥�, are words of gratitude and joy.

For all that however, there will be times for most of us when faith falters; seems very fragile. We can be knocked off balance by the unexpected trials that life brings to us. When that happens, when our faith ebbs and the vision of God鈥檚 love in Christ seems to fade, it is as if we are diminished; something that we had felt to be of the essence of our humanity is lost.

听That, I suppose, is why we need each other; need to remember that we are not alone. There are times when all we can do is to rest in the shared faith of the Christian community; be somehow 鈥榗arried鈥� by our fellow Christians for a while; be supported and encouraged by the Church.

It frequently happens that faith returns, and that we rediscover both its comfort and its challenge. We are assured once more. that we are loved with a love that will never let us go, and we are challenged once again to work (as Prince Philip did so tirelessly)
to make the world a better place 鈥� a place more loved and lovely.

We might then, once more, contribute to that chorus that has sounded through the Christian centuries 鈥� those words of gratitude and joy: 鈥淲e do not lose heart.鈥�

The Dean: Blessing

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and
love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and
the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you
always. Amen.

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National Anthem: Unannounced

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.

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Organ voluntary: Nun danket alle Gott (Karg-Elert)

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Please note:

This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors.

It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

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