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: Herman G Stuempfle ©
Tune: St Flavian https://tinyurl.com/5n77t8n4
1 Lord, help us walk your servant way
wherever love may lead
and, bending low, forgetting self,
each serve the other’s need.
2 You came to earth, O Christ, as Lord,
but pow’r you laid aside.
You lived your years in servanthood,
in lowliness you died.
3 No golden scepter but a towel
you place within the hands
of those who seek to follow you
and live by your commands.
4 You bid us bend our human pride
nor count ourselves above
the lowest place, the meanest task
that waits the gift of love.
5 Lord, help us walk your servant way
wherever love may lead
and, bending low, forgetting self,
each serve the other’s need.
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 Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
Pay attention!
Summon the women who mourn,
let them come;
send for those best trained,
let them come.
Hurry!
Let them weep for us
so that our eyes fill up with tears
and water streams down.
The sound of sobbing
is heard from Zion:
“We’re devastated!
We’re so ashamed!
We have to leave the land
and abandon our homes!”
Women, hear the Lord’s word.
Listen closely to the word
from his mouth:
teach your daughters to mourn;
teach each other to grieve.
Death has climbed through our windows;
it has entered our fortresses
to eliminate children from the streets,
the youth from the squares.
Declare what the Lord says:
Dead bodies will lie
like dung on the fields,
like bundles of grain after the harvest,
with no one to pick them up.
HYMN: Samuel Rodigast; trans. Catherine Winkworth
Tune: Was Gott tut https://tinyurl.com/ur984hbh
1 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
his holy will abideth;
I will be still, whate’er he doth,
and follow where he guideth.
He is my God; though dark my road,
he holds me that I shall not fall:
wherefore to him I leave it all.
2 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
he never will deceive me;
he leads me by the proper path;
I know he will not leave me.
I take, content, what he hath sent;
his hand can turn my griefs away,
and patiently I wait his day.
3 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
though now this cup, in drinking,
may bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
and pain and sorrow shall depart.
4 Whate’er my God ordains is right:
here shall my stand be taken;
though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
yet am I not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
he holds me that I shall not fall:
and so to him I leave it all.
READING: Hebrews 2
This is why it’s necessary for us to pay more attention to what we have heard, or else we may drift away from it. If the message that was spoken by angels was reliable, and every offense and act of disobedience received an appropriate consequence, how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? It was first announced through the Lord, and then it was confirmed by those who heard him. God also vouched for their message with signs, amazing things, various miracles, and gifts from the Holy Spirit, which were handed out the way he wanted.
God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone declared somewhere,
What is humanity that you think about them?
Or what are the human beings that you care about them?
For a while you made them lower than angels.
You crowned the human beings with glory and honor.
You put everything under their control.
When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace.
It was appropriate for God, for whom and through whom everything exists, to use experiences of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation. This salvation belongs to many sons and daughters whom he’s leading to glory. This is because the one who makes people holy and the people who are being made holy all come from one source. That is why Jesus isn’t ashamed to call them brothers and sisters when he says,
I will publicly announce your name to my brothers and sisters.
I will praise you in the middle of the assembly.
He also says,
I will rely on him.
And also,
Here I am with the children whom God has given to me.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he also shared the same things in the same way. He did this to destroy the one who holds the power over death—the devil—by dying. He set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death. Of course, he isn’t trying to help angels, but rather he’s helping Abraham’s descendants. Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every way. This was so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to wipe away the sins of the people. He’s able to help those who are being tempted, since he himself experienced suffering when he was tempted.
HYMN: George Hunt Smyttan
Tune: Heinlein https://tinyurl.com/bdz8jcps
1 Forty days and forty nights
thou wast fasting in the wild;
forty days and forty nights
tempted, and yet undefiled:
2 Sunbeams scorching all the day;
chilly dewdrops nightly shed;
prowling beasts about thy way;
stones thy pillow, earth thy bed.
3 Shall not we thy sorrows share,
and from earthly joys abstain,
fasting with unceasing prayer,
glad with thee to suffer pain?
4 And if Satan, vexing sore,
flesh or spirit should assail,
thou, his vanquisher before,
grant we may not faint nor fail.
5 So shall we have peace divine;
holier gladness ours shall be;
round us too shall angels shine,
such as ministered to thee.
6 Keep, O keep us, Saviour dear,
ever constant by thy side;
that with thee we may appear
at the eternal Eastertide.
READING: Mark 10:35-45
James and John, Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They said, “Allow one of us to sit on your right and the other on your left when you enter your glory.” Jesus replied, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, but to sit at my right or left hand isn’t mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.”
Now when the other ten disciples heard about this, they became angry with James and John. Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the ones who are considered the rulers by the Gentiles show off their authority over them and their high-ranking officials order them around. But that’s not the way it will be with you. Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people.”
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 © 2025 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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