Readers in Training Residential Saturday Evening Worship Epiphany House 2016 Jim Seth 31/01/2015

A Call To Worship When you are sitting comfortably Oh God make Speed to save us.... All: Oh Lord make haste to help us.

Let us Pray Come. O Christ my Light and illumine my darkness. Come, my life, and revive me from death. Come my Physician, and heal my wounds. Come. Flame of divine love And burn up the thorns of my sins kindling my heart with the flame of your love. For you alone are my King and my Lord.

I pray that the wild goose will come to me.....

The Word of God Matthew 27:32 [ The Crucifixion of Jesus ] As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. Mark 15:32 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. Mark 8:34 [Full Chapter] He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

The Word of God John 19 So they took Jesus; 17 and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew[d] is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them..... .....Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

With whom do you identify?

Come and collect your cross from the table Come and collect your cross from the table.... take it, hold it and carry it back to your seat but before we collect them ...... Carry Your Cross....

The cross beam is deliberately uneven, in order to fit between your fingers more comfortably than a correctly shaped cross would do.   Because a holding cross is not decorated or ornamental, it is a true reminder of the harsh wood of the cross of Jesus. Sometimes it is enough simply to hold the cross silently - this is itself prayer. Maybe you have no words anyway, and it is through your sense, of touch that you are expressing your love of Christ and your need of him.

The Birds of ‘Pray’

Helpless babe, Entered our world, Your glory veiled; FROM HEAVEN YOU CAME, Helpless babe, Entered our world, Your glory veiled; Not to be served but to serve, And give Your life that we might live.   This is our God, the Servant King, He calls us now to follow Him, To bring our lives as a daily offering Of worship to The Servant King.   There in the garden of tears, My heavy load He chose to bear; His heart with sorrow was torn, 'Yet not My will But Yours' He said. Come see His hands and His feet, The scars that speak of sacrifice, Hands that flung stars Into space To cruel nails surrendered. So let us learn How to serve, And in our lives enthrone Him; Each other's needs to prefer, For it is Christ we're serving.

The Rabbi and The Abbot

Out of the depths I cry to you, 0 Lord, Lord. hear my voice Out of the depths I cry to you, 0 Lord, Lord. hear my voice! If you, Lord, should keep account of our sins, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits for him, and in his word is my hope.

Jesus, what have you not suffered, what have you not given for me Jesus, what have you not suffered, what have you not given for me? I can never comprehend you, but I can love you and wonder at the depth of the darkness which you entered, and the cost of the love which you would not betray.

Father of mercy, bless my efforts to love you, and help me, in spite of my uncertainties, to hear your call, trust your victory of love, and surrender my life into your hands. May the power of the cross, the joy of the resurrection, and the presence of the risen Lord be with me, and all whom I love, Amen.

Jim Seth 31/01/2015