George Fox
George Fox was born at Fenny Drayton in Leicestershire in 1624, the son of a weaver, and was himself apprenticed to a shoe-maker. He became something of a wayfarer from 1643 for about three years, loosening all ties with his family and friends. The ‘Inner Light of the Living Christ’ became his watchword in 1646 and he began to preach that the truth could only be found through the Inner Voice speaking directly to each soul. His society of ‘The Friends of Truth’ was formed at about this time, clearly a protest against the authoritarianism of the Presbyterian system, and many believers joined. Because of welcoming God into the soul often whilst in a state of trance, which caused much body movement, Gervase Bennet nicknamed them the Quakers in 1650; although meant as a term of abuse, it quickly became a name they themselves adopted. Fox spent several spells in gaol because of his determination to preach where he would and what he willed; he also made many missionary journeys around England, on the continent and to North America and the West Indies. He had a charismatic personality combined with excellent organisational abilities, which proved a solid foundation for ensuring the continuance of his beliefs and practices. He died on January 13, 1691. EH
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/kstdbwh2
Look toward the Lord and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed. Psalm 34
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be 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.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!
HYMN: George Fox
Chant: Paulette Meyer https://tinyurl.com/5jz6zker
Sing and rejoice, ye children of the day and of the Light,
for the Lord is at work in this thick night
of darkness that can be felt.
And the truth doth flourish like the rose,
and the lilies grow among the thorns,
and the plants upon the hill,
above them the lambs do skip and play,
and never heed the tempests nor the storms, floods nor rains,
for the seed Christ is over all and doth reign.
PSALMS
Psalm 71 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybx8s3ew)
1 In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust,
let me never be put to confusion *
but rid me, and deliver me, in thy righteousness;
incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
2 Be thou my strong hold, whereunto I may alway resort *
thou hast promised to help me,
for thou art my house of defence, and my castle.
3 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly *
out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
4 For thou, O Lord God, art the thing that I long for *
thou art my hope, even from my youth.
5 Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born *
thou art he that took me out of my mother’s womb;
my praise shall be always of thee.
6 I am become as it were a monster unto many *
but my sure trust is in thee.
7 O let my mouth be filled with thy praise *
that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.
8 Cast me not away in the time of age *
forsake me not when my strength faileth me.
9 For mine enemies speak against me,
and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying *
God hath forsaken him; persecute him, and take him,
for there is none to deliver him.
10 Go not far from me, O God *
my God, haste thee to help me.
11 Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul *
let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.
12 As for me, I will patiently abide alway *
and will praise thee more and more.
13 My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation *
for I know no end thereof.
14 I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God *
and will make mention of thy righteousness only.
15 Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now *
therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.
16 Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed *
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation,
and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.
17 Thy righteousness, O God, is very high *
and great things are they that thou hast done;
O God, who is like unto thee?
18 O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me!
and yet didst thou turn and refresh me *
yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.
19 Thou hast brought me to great honour *
and comforted me on every side.
20 Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness, O God,
playing upon an instrument of musick *
unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
21 My lips will be fain when I sing unto thee *
and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.
22 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long *
for they are confounded and brought unto shame
that seek to do me evil.
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 71 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-71-KH.mp3)
I take refuge in you, LORD;
let me not always be shamed.
In your righteousness deliver;
extend your ear and save.
Be to me a rock of refuge
where I can always come;
For you give command to save,
my fortress and my rock.
My God, please rescue me
from the hand of the wicked
From the grip of evil men,
from the grasp of the embittered,
Lord GOD, you are my hope,
my confidence from youth.
You have held me since my birth,
even from my mother’s womb;
My praise is perpetual
I’m a wonder to the crowd,
my refuge is so strong.
My mouth is filled with praise
and your glory all day long.
Don’t leave in my old age
nor when my strength expires.
For my foes who watch my life,
take counsel and conspire
Saying, “God has left, give chase;
seize him with none to save”
My God, be not far off;
and to my help make haste!
O let them be ashamed,
who bring my soul alarm
O cover them with shame,
who seek to do me harm.
My praise is perpetual
As for me, I’ll always hope,
and praise you more and more.
Of your justice my mouth speaks,
your salvation all day long;
Their sum cannot be known,
all the deeds of the Lord God;
Of your righteousness I’ll tell,
of yours and yours alone.
God trained me from my youth,
and still your works I’m praising.
Even when I’m old and gray,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I tell your power
to this age and those to come
Of your justice to the heav’ns.
Who is like you, O my God?
My praise is perpetual
You who’ve shown me many trials,
again you will revive me,
From the deepest place on earth
you’ll bring a new arising.
My greatness you’ll increase
when you turn back to console.
I will praise you with a harp,
for your faithfulness, O God;
With the lyre I’ll sing to you,
O Holy One of Israel.
And my lips will shout for joy;
the praise of my redeemed soul.
My tongue will also tell
of your justice all the day;
For those sought my harm
are turned back and ashamed.
My praise is perpetual
My praise is perpetual
Psalm 72 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ya9qaxre)
1 Give the King thy judgements, O God *
and thy righteousness unto the King’s son.
2 Then shall he judge thy people according unto right *
and defend the poor.
3 The mountains also shall bring peace *
and the little hills righteousness unto the people.
4 He shall keep the simple folk by their right *
defend the children of the poor, and punish the wrong doer.
5 They shall fear thee, as long as the sun and moon endureth *
from one generation to another.
6 He shall come down like the rain into a fleece of wool *
even as the drops that water the earth.
7 In his time shall the righteous flourish *
yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth.
8 His dominion shall be also from the one sea to the other *
and from the flood unto the world’s end.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall kneel before him *
his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tharsis and of the isles shall give presents *
the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts.
11 All kings shall fall down before him *
all nations shall do him service.
12 For he shall deliver the poor when he crieth *
the needy also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall be favourable to the simple and needy *
and shall preserve the souls of the poor.
14 He shall deliver their souls from falsehood and wrong *
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
15 He shall live, and unto him shall be given of the gold of Arabia *
prayer shall be made ever unto him, and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an heap of corn in the earth, high upon the hills *
his fruit shall shake like Libanus,
and shall be green in the city like grass upon the earth.
17 His Name shall endure for ever;
his Name shall remain under the sun among the posterities *
which shall be blessed through him; and all the heathen shall praise him.
18 Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel *
which only doeth wondrous things ;
19 And blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever *
and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty. Amen, Amen.
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 72 (Karl Kohlhase: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-72-KH.mp3)
Give the King your justice, O God;
and your righteousness to the Royal Son
May he judge your people with equity
and all of the poor with justice
Let the mountains bring peace to the people
and the hills bear righteousness
He’ll defend the poor of the nation,
help poor children and crush oppressors
Amen and amen
May his honor endure like the sun
and as long as the moon for all ages
May he come down like rain on the field,
like showers that water the earth
In his days may righteousness flourish
and great peace till the moon is no more
Amen and amen
May his rule be from sea to sea,
from the river to the ends of the earth
Desert dwellers shall bow down to him,
and the hostile shall all lick the dust
May the kings of Tarshish bring tribute
and the kings of Sheba bring gifts
O let all the kings fall prostrate,
and may all the nations serve him
Amen and amen.
For he saves the needy who call,
the afflicted and those with no helper
For the weak and the poor his compassion
will save the souls of the needy
From oppression and violence he saves them;
and their blood is dear in his sight
Amen and amen.
So long may he live!
May the gold of Sheba be given
Let there be perpetual prayers
and blessings for him all the day
May the grain of the earth be abundant;
may it wave on mountain peaks
May its fruit be like unto Lebanon;
in the towns let people blossom
Amen and amen.
May his name endure forever
and his fame live on like the sun
May men bless themselves by him,
and all nations call him blessed
Bless the LORD, the God of Israel,
who alone can work such wonders
Bless his glorious name forever;
may his glory fill the whole earth
Amen and amen.
PRAYER
God our strong fortress,
do not desert us in old age.
Help us to follow your will
through all our years
and under all circumstances,
that forever we may praise your faithfulness;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Genesis 6:1-8
When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. Then the Lord said, ‘My spirit shall not abide in mortals for ever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterwards—when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown.
The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.
HYMN: Fred Pratt Green ©
Tune: Hermon https://tinyurl.com/ycyf3sj7
1 What Adam’s disobedience cost,
let Holy Scripture say:
ourselves estranged, an Eden lost,
and then a judgment day:
each day a judgment day.
2 An ark of mercy rode the flood,
but we, where waters swirled,
rebuilt, impatient of the good,
another fallen world:
an unrepentant world.
3 A little child is Adam’s heir,
is Adam’s hope and Lord.
Sing joyful carols ev’rywhere
that Eden is restored:
in Jesus is restored.
4 Regained is Adam’s blessedness;
the angels sheathe their swords.
In joyful carols all confess
the kingdom is the Lord’s:
the glory is the Lord’s!
5 Renewed, restored, we look ahead
to glimpse that glorious day
when in the new Jerusalem
all griefs will pass away.
Amen. Hallelujah!
Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apollos’, are you not merely human?
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
HYMN: st. 1: Christian David; st. 2, 4: Christian G. Barth; st. 3, 5: Johann C. Nehring; trans. various ©
Tune: Sonne der Gerechtigkeit https://tinyurl.com/2p83enn6
1 Sun of righteousness, arise;
dawn upon our clouded skies;
shine within your church today
that the world may see and say,
“Have mercy, Lord.”
2 Wake your sleeping church to live,
not afraid our all to give.
Let the mighty acts of God
spread through all the world abroad:
have mercy, Lord.
3 Heal division; love renew;
help us all to turn to you.
Mighty Shepherd, gather near
all your sheep oppressed by fear:
have mercy, Lord.
4 Open gates for souls to find
your true way with heart and mind.
Come with all your gentle might,
bringing light to darkest night:
have mercy, Lord.
5 Glory, praise, and royal might
to our God of endless light,
who is perfect, three in one,
and unites us in the Son:
have mercy, Lord.
Reading: Mark 2:1-12
When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and take your mat and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.’ And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’
CANTICLE Jonah 2:2-9
(Patrick Schlabs: https://tinyurl.com/yy9zwfv6)
You cast me out into the deep
And there your floods surround
I sank beneath the raging sea
As billows crashed around
I was thrown out from your sight
And I was driven away
I know I will see with my eyes
Again your holy place
Refrain:
I called to God in my distress
He has heard my voice
I cried to him out of the depths
He answered my call, he answered my call
The waters closed in over me
They came to bring me death
I was covered up by the deep
Weeds choked out my breath
I sank down to the mountain roots
The earth had locked me in
Just as the grave sealed up its gates
You saved me from the pit Refrain
As my life fainted away
I remembered you my God
All those who hope in idols vain
Forsake their hope of loveI called to God in my distress
He has heard my voice
I cried to him out of the depths
He answered my call
So with my voice I will give thanks
A sacrifice to you
What I have vowed I now will pay
Salvation comes from you
Salvation comes from you
Salvation comes from you
THE PRAYERS BCW
Eternal God, we praise you for your mighty love given in Christ’s sacrifice on the
cross, and the new life we have received by his resurrection.
Especially we thank you for
the presence of Christ in our weakness and suffering . . .
the ministry of Word and Sacrament . . .
all who work to help and heal . . .
sacrifices made for our benefit . . .
opportunities for our generous giving. . . .
God of grace, let our concern for others reflect Christ’s self-giving love, not only
in our prayers, but also in our practice.
Especially we pray for
those subjected to tyranny and oppression . . .
wounded and injured people . . .
those who face death . . .
those who may be our enemies . . .
the church in Latin America. . . .
Setting by Eric Wyse:2
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
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.
God of compassion, you have reconciled us in Jesus Christ, who is our peace: Enable us to live as Jesus lived, breaking down walls of hostility and healing enmity. Give us grace to make peace with those from whom we are divided, that forgiven and forgiving, we may ever be one in Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns for ever, one holy and undivided Trinity. Amen. GCW
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
BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
PIC Prayers for An Inclusive Church. Steven Shakespeare © 2008 Canterbury Press.
EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997
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.
GCW Great Cloud of Witnesses © 2016 The Episcopal Church
The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions of Psalms 71 and 72 are sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html.
Compilation © 2022 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.
Oremus 