Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury for twenty-three years under three Tudor monarchs, was martyred on 21 March 1556, when Queen Mary temporarily brought the English church back into the papal fold. Cranmer steered the church through the troubles of the Reformation and left an unparalleled legacy of liturgical writing in the Book of Common Prayer. His writ-ings expressed his mature, reformed, biblical theology. For him nothing was more important than that Christians should “read, mark, learn and inwardly digest” the Scriptures. FATS
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/2up5tr2v
Look to your covenant, O Lord,
and forget not the life of your poor ones for ever.
Arise, O God, and defend your cause,
and forget not the cries of those who seek you. Psalm 74
Merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you
with our whole heart and mind and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be,
so that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen. BCW
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ufxekitx
God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
HYMN: Adam M.L. Tice ©
Tune: New World
1 What is the world like when God’s will is done?
Mustard seeds grow more than we can conceive:
roots thread the soil, branches reach for the sun.
This is how God moves us each to believe.
2 What is the world like when God’s will is done?
Witness the wandering child coming home;
watch as the parent breaks into a run.
This is how God longs for us when we roam.
3 What is the world like when God’s will is done?
No more is neighbor just ally or friend;
peace thrives in places where once there was none.
This is how God works when rivalries end.
4 What is the world like when God’s will is done?
Ready for feasting, we watch through the night,
tending our lamps till the new day’s begun.
This is how God readies us for the light.
5 These are the stories that Jesus imparts,
filled with the Spirit, who joins us as one.
Born through our voices, our hands, and our hearts,
this is a new world where God’s will is done.
PSALMS
Psalm 105 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/s2yts33)
1 Give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name *
tell the people what things he hath done.
2 O let your songs be of him, and praise him *
and let your talking be of all his wondrous works.
3 Rejoice in his holy Name *
let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4 Seek the Lord and his strength *
seek his face evermore.
5 Remember the marvellous works that he hath done *
his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth,
6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant *
ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the Lord our God *
his judgements are in all the world.
8 He hath been alway mindful of his covenant and promise *
that he made to a thousand generations;
9 Even the covenant that he made with Abraham *
and the oath that he sware unto Isaac;
10 And appointed the same unto Jacob for a law *
and to Israel for an everlasting testament;
11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan *
the lot of your inheritance;
12 When there were yet but a few of them *
and they strangers in the land;
13 What time as they went from one nation to another *
from one kingdom to another people;
14 He suffered no man to do them wrong *
but reproved even kings for their sakes;
15 Touch not mine Anointed *
and do my prophets no harm.
16 Moreover, he called for a dearth upon the land *
and destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 But he had sent a man before them *
even Joseph, who was sold to be a bond-servant;
18 Whose feet they hurt in the stocks *
the iron entered into his soul;
19 Until the time came that his cause was known *
the word of the Lord tried him.
20 The king sent, and delivered him *
the prince of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord also of his house *
and ruler of all his substance;
22 That he might inform his princes after his will *
and teach his senators wisdom.
23 Israel also came into Egypt *
and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham.
24 And he increased his people exceedingly *
and made them stronger than their enemies;
25 Whose heart turned so, that they hated his people *
and dealt untruly with his servants.
26 Then sent he Moses his servant *
and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 And these shewed his tokens among them *
and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and it was dark *
and they were not obedient unto his word.
29 He turned their waters into blood *
and slew their fish.
30 Their land brought forth frogs *
yea, even in their kings’ chambers.
31 He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies *
and lice in all their quarters.
32 He gave them hail-stones for rain *
and flames of fire in their land.
33 He smote their vines also and fig-trees *
and destroyed the trees that were in their coasts.
34 He spake the word, and the grass hoppers came, and caterpillars innumerable *
and did eat up all the grass in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
35 He smote all the first-born in their land *
even the chief of all their strength.
36 He brought them forth also with silver and gold *
there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
37 Egypt was glad at their departing *
for they were afraid of them.
38 He spread out a cloud to be a covering *
and fire to give light in the night-season.
39 At their desire he brought quails *
and he filled them with the bread of heaven.
40 He opened the rock of stone, and the waters flowed out *
so that rivers ran in the dry places.
41 For why? he remembered his holy promise *
and Abraham his servant.
42 And he brought forth his people with joy *
and his chosen with gladness;
43 And gave them the lands of the heathen *
and they took the labours of the people in possession;
44 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost,*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 105 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-105-KH.mp3)
O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.
O sing to him, sing praise, and of his wonders speak;
shine in his holy name, all hearts who seek the LORD.
Seek him and his strength, his face continually.
Remember all his signs, and judgments of his mouth
His servant, Abra-am’s seed, his chosen Jacob’s sons,
he is the LORD our God; he rules though all the earth.
Remembering his word, unto the thousandth age,
his covenant with Abram, the oath to Isaac made.
O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.
Confirmed his word to Jacob, his oath to Israel:
“I’ll give the land of Canaan, as your inheritance,”
When they were few in number, so few, and strangers there.
They wandered land to land, one kingdom to and fro.
Permitting none to hurt them, reproving kings for them:
“Don’t touch whom I anoint, My prophets do not harm.”
He brought their land a famine; he broke their staff of bread.
Then sent a man before them, had Joseph sold a slave.
They bound his feet with fetters, when he was laid in irons;
until his word came true, the LORD’s word tested him.
The king then set him free, the one who ruled the world.
Made him lord of his house, to manage all he owned
O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.
To jail his chiefs at will, to make his elders wise.
Then Israel came to Egypt; and Jacob unto Ham.
He made his people fruitful, made stronger than their foes.
Hearts turned to hate his tribes, conspiring against them.
He sent his servant, Moses, and Aaron, whom he chose.
Performing signs for them, throughout the land of Ham.
Sent darkness to make dark, refusing not his word.
Turned water into blood, and caused their fish to die.
Their land was filled with frogs, their royal chambers too.
he spoke a swarm of flies, and gnats through all the land
Gave hail instead of rain, their land a blazing fire.
Struck down their vines and figs, broke trees through all the land
He spoke and locusts came, their young were beyond count,
Devouring all the land, the fruit of all their soil.
Their firstborn he struck down, first fruits of all their strength.
Led out with gold and silver, his tribes had none who fell.
O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations.
Once gone Egypt was glad, they were in dread of them.
he spread a cloud to hide, a fire to shine by night.
When asked, he brought forth quail, filled with the bread of heav’n.
Split rock so water flowed; in deserts like a stream.
Recalled his holy word, to Abraham his servant;
he led them out with joy, his chosen with glad shouts.
He gave the nation’s lands, the fruit of others’ toil,
So they might keep his words, and laws, Alleluia!
O give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known all his ways to the nations. (x3)
PRAYER
Almighty God, creator of the universe,
we are awed by your wondrous works
and overwhelmed by your infinite wisdom.
For all your majesty we praise you;
yet even more
we rejoice that you do not forget us,
that you want to know us,
that you come to care for us,
sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will plant seeds in Israel and Judah, and both people and animals will spring up. Just as I watched over them to dig up and pull down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and plant, declares the Lord. In those days, people will no longer say:
Sour grapes eaten by parents
leave a bitter taste in the mouths of their children.
Because everyone will die for their own sins:
whoever eats sour grapes
will have a bitter taste in their own mouths.
The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It won’t be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant with me even though I was their husband, declares the Lord. No, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my Instructions within them and engrave them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. They will no longer need to teach each other to say, “Know the Lord!” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord; for I will forgive their wrongdoing and never again remember their sins.
HYMN: William Watkins Reid ©
Tune: Sandys https://tinyurl.com/2s3h22k8
1 Help us, O Lord, to learn
the truths thy word imparts:
to study that thy laws may be
inscribed upon our hearts.
2 Help us, O Lord, to live
the faith which we proclaim,
that all our thoughts and words and deeds
may glorify thy name.
3 Help us, O Lord, to teach
the beauty of thy ways,
that yearning souls may find the Christ,
and sing aloud his praise.
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog. He will gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. They came up across the whole earth and surrounded the saints’ camp, the city that God loves. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them. Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet also were. There painful suffering will be inflicted upon them day and night, forever and always.
Then I saw a great white throne and the one who is seated on it. Before his face both earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Another scroll was opened too; this is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged on the basis of what was written in the scrolls about what they had done. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave gave up the dead that were in them, and people were judged by what they had done. Then Death and the Grave were thrown into the fiery lake. This, the fiery lake, is the second death. Then anyone whose name wasn’t found written in the scroll of life was thrown into the fiery lake.
HYMN: John Newton
Tune: Rhuddlan https://tinyurl.com/2p8v5mm6
1 Day of judgment! Day of wonders!
Hark! the trumpet’s awful sound,
louder than a thousand thunders,
shakes the vast creation round.
How the summons
will the sinner’s heart confound!
2 See the Judge, our nature wearing,
clothed in majesty divine;
you who long for his appearing
then shall say, “This God is mine!”
Gracious Savior,
own me in that day as thine.
3 At his call the dead awaken,
rise to life from earth and sea;
all the pow’rs of nature, shaken
by his looks, prepare to flee.
Careless sinner,
what will then become of thee?
4 But to those who have confessed,
loved and served the Lord below,
he will say, “Come near, ye blessed,
see the kingdom I bestow;
you forever
shall my love and glory know.”
Jesus said, “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten young bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Now five of them were wise, and the other five were foolish. The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t bring oil for them. But the wise ones took their lamps and also brought containers of oil.
“When the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy and went to sleep. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the groom! Come out to meet him.’
“Then all those bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. But the foolish bridesmaids said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps have gone out.’
“But the wise bridesmaids replied, ‘No, because if we share with you, there won’t be enough for our lamps and yours. We have a better idea. You go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were gone to buy oil, the groom came. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding. Then the door was shut.
“Later the other bridesmaids came and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us.’ But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore, keep alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour.”
CANTICLE Isaiah 55:6-11
(Setting by Gregory Wilbur: https://tinyurl.com/yawmg8fp)
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,
Call ye upon him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
My ways and thoughts are higher than yours.
And let him return unto the Lord,
and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
For as the rain cometh down, and snow from heaven,
And maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to sow,
that it may give bread to eat.
So shall my world be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please it shall prosper
in the thing whereunto I sent it.
THE PRAYERS WS2
God of our salvation,
we praise you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ,
to suffer for our sins so we may be redeemed.
We are thankful for the reminders of that redemption visible in creation . . .
the nations of the world when they . . .
our nation and those who govern as they . . .
our own community as it . . .
the church universal as it seeks to . . .
our local church as it . . .
the lives of those near to us . . .
our own life as we experience your saving grace . . .
We also ask that
as the source of the world’s hope and redemption
you hear our prayers on behalf of
all creation . . .
the nations of the world . . .
our nation and those in authority . . .
the community and those who govern . . .
the church universal, its mission, and those who minister . . .
our church and its ministry . . .
those with particular needs . . .
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the bread of life;
and 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. Amen.
O God,
you endued your servant Thomas Cranmer
with zeal for the purity of your Church
and gave him singular ability
in reforming the common prayer of your people.
Grant us such courage in our witness to your grace
that in our families, communities, and nation
we may become the leaven of your justice and truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen. FAS
Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
FATS For All the Saints, © The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, 2014
FAS For All the Saints, Revised Ed. © Anglican Church of Canada
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
WS2 The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources
The three main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions of Psalm 105 is sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html.
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2024 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
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