Please join in saying the words and singing the hymns printed in bold type.

The church is served by a hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting marked T.

Photography, filming, and sound recording are not allowed in St Margaret's Church during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is led by The Reverend Helena Bickley-Percival, Sacrist

Following the service, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between The King's Trust and the work of the Abbey. The King's Trust helps young people from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn, and earn.

Order of Service

All stand as the clergy enter

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The president greets the congregation, to which all respond

and also with you.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Prayers of Penitence, after which all say

Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word, and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.

The president gives the Absolution

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gloria in excelsis Deo is said

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

Let us pray.

All remain standing. The president says the Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity: keep us steadfast in this faith, that we may evermore be defended from all adversities; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

All sit for the Reading, Isaiah 40: 12–17, 27–end

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
   and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,
   and weighed the mountains in scales
   and the hills in a balance?
Who has directed the spirit of the Lord,
   or as his counsellor has instructed him?
Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,
   and who taught him the path of justice?
Who taught him knowledge,
   and showed him the way of understanding?
Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
   and are accounted as dust on the scales;
   see, he takes up the isles like fine dust.
Lebanon would not provide fuel enough,
   nor are its animals enough for a burnt-offering.
All the nations are as nothing before him;
   they are accounted by him
   as less than nothing and emptiness.

Why do you say, O Jacob,
   and speak, O Israel,
'My way is hidden from the Lord,
   and my right is disregarded by my God'?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
   his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
   and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
   and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
   they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
   they shall walk and not faint.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

All stand for the Gospel, Matthew 28: 16–20

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

The Homily

All kneel or remain seated for the Prayers of Intercession, during which the following response is used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

All stand. The president introduces the Peace

Peace to you from God our heavenly Father. Peace from his Son Jesus Christ who is our peace. Peace from the Holy Spirit, the life-giver.

The peace of the triune Lord be always with you
and also with you.

All may greet one another with the words Peace be with you.

All sing the Offertory Hymn

The God of Abraham praise
   who reigns enthroned above,
Ancient of everlasting days,
   and God of love:
to him uplift your voice,
   at whose supreme command
from earth we rise and seek the joys
   at his right hand.

There dwells the Lord our King,
   the Lord our Righteousness,
triumphant o'er the world of sin,
   the Prince of Peace:
on Sion's sacred height
   his kingdom he maintains,
and glorious with his saints in light
   for ever reigns.

Before the great Three-One
   they all exulting stand,
and tell the wonders he has done
   throughout the land:
the listening spheres attend,
   and swell the growing fame,
and sing in songs which never end
   the wondrous name.

The God who reigns on high
   the great archangels sing,
and 'Holy, holy, holy' cry
   'Almighty King!
who was, and is the same,
   and evermore shall be:
eternal Father, great I AM,
   we worship thee.'

The whole triumphant host
   give thanks to God on high:
'Hail, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost',
   they ever cry:
hail, Abram's God and mine!
   (I join the heavenly lays.)
All might and majesty are thine,
   and endless praise.

Words: Thomas Olivers (1725–99), after 'Yigdal'
Tune: 'Leoni' 148 NEH, traditional Hebrew melody

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty, and our joy, always and everywhere to give you thanks, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For with your only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit you are one God, one Lord. All that you reveal of your glory, the same we believe of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, without any difference or inequality. We, your holy Church, acclaim you, Father of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. Three Persons we adore, one in being and equal in majesty. And so with angels and archangels, with cherubim and seraphim, we sing for ever of your glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of [N and] all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

As we join our prayers with those of the Church Universal, so we say, each in our own language, the prayer that Jesus Christ has taught us,

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

The president breaks the consecrated bread

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.

Agnus Dei may be said

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.

The president says the Invitation to Communion

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those who are called to his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

The congregation is invited to sit as the president and other ministers begin the distribution of Holy Communion. Those wishing to receive come forward as directed by the Stewards. If you receive communion in your own church you are welcome to do so here. Gluten-free wafers are available. Please refrain from dipping bread in the chalice. Those who do not wish to receive communion are invited to come for a blessing; please bow your head as you approach. The minister says to each communicant

The body of Christ. Amen.

The blood of Christ. Amen.

When it is announced, all stand to sing the Hymn

May the grace of Christ our Saviour,
   and the Father's boundless love,
with the Holy Spirit's favour,
   rest upon us from above.

Thus may we abide in union
   with each other and the Lord,
and possess in sweet communion,
   joys which earth cannot afford.

To the God whose wisdom made us,
   to the Son who set us free,
to the sanctifying Spirit,
   glory, endless glory, be!
      Amen.

Words: John Newton (1725–1807), verse 1 after 2 Corinthians 13: 13
Tune: 'Waltham' 298 NEH, Heinrich Albert (1604–51)

The president says the Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

All remain standing

Almighty and eternal God, you have revealed yourself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and live and reign in the perfect unity of love: hold us firm in this faith, that we may know you in all your ways and evermore rejoice in your eternal glory, who are three Persons yet one God, now and forever. Amen.

The following prayer may be said

Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
Amen.

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

The president pronounces the Blessing

God the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

The Dismissal

Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

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Hymns covered by Christian Copyright Licensing (International) Ltd are reproduced under CCL no 1040271 and MRL no 1040288. Common Worship (Church House Publishing, 2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council. Scripture Readings are from the New Revised Standard Version.