Please join in saying the words printed in bold type.

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The service is sung by a cantor.

Setting: Missa in simplicitate, Jean Langlais (c 1907–91)

Order of Service

All stand as the clergy enter.

God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.

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

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

For forty days we have been celebrating with joyful hearts the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, his bursting from the tomb, and his defeat of the power of sin and death.

Today we recall how he left the earth and returned to his Father, ascending into heaven to take his throne over all dominions and powers. 

All remain standing. The president introduces the Prayers of Penitence

As we recall Christ's victory, and the hope his Ascension offers us, let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, seeking the Lord's forgiveness and healing, that we might be filled with his Holy Spirit.

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. 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.

All sit after the opening phrase, Gloria in excelsis Deo sung by the cantor

Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe; Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram; qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

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.

All stand for the Collect

Let us pray.

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens, so we in heart and mind may also ascend and with him continually dwell; 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 from the Old Testament Daniel 7: 9–14

As I watched,

thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement, and the books were opened.

I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. As I watched in the night visions,

I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

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

The cantor sings Psalm 93

Antiphon God has gone up with a merry noise, the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.

The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel; the Lord has put on his glory and girded himself with strength.
He has made the whole world so sure that it cannot be moved.
Your throne has been established from of old; you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of many waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mightier.
Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever.

The Reading from the New Testament Acts 1: 1–11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. 'This', he said, 'is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'

So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?' He replied, 'It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'

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

All stand for the Procession of the Gospel. The cantor sings

Alleluia! 'Go and make disciples of all nations', says the Lord. 'Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.' Alleluia!

The reader announces the Gospel Luke 24: 44–end

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

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

Jesus said to his disciples, 'These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.' Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, 'Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.'

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

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

The Sermon by The Reverend Mark Birch, Minor Canon and Precentor

All stand to say the Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

All remain standing for the Prayers of Intercession. At the end of each petition there is said

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

The intercession ends

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The president introduces the Peace

Jesus says, 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. If you love me, rejoice because I am going to the Father'. Alleluia!

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

All may greet one another with the words Peace be with you. Please do not shake hands

All sit. The cantor sings the Motet

Es will der Höchste sich ein Siegsgepräng bereiten,
Da die Gefängnisse er selbst gefangen führt.
Wer jauchzt ihm zu? Wer ists, der die Posaunen rührt?
Wer gehet ihm zur Seiten?
Ist es nicht Gottes Heer,
Das seines Namens Ehr,
Heil, Preis, Reich, Kraft und Macht mit lauter Stimme singet
Und ihm nun ewiglich ein Halleluja bringet.

Ja tausend mal tausend begleiten den Wagen,
Dem König der Kön'ge lobsingend zu sagen,
Dass Erde und Himmel sich unter ihm schmiegt
Und was er bezwungen, nun gänzlich erliegt.

Now would the Highest for himself ready a triumph; for he captivity himself has captive led. Who hails him? Who is it who the trumpets sound? Who goes at his side now? Is it not God's own host, which for his name's great praise, strength, fame, rule, power and might with open voices sings and him now evermore an Alleluia brings.

Thousands on thousands in convoys of wagons, the King of all kings shall sing praises, proclaiming that both earth and heaven beneath him now bend, and all he has conquered now fully submits.

Words: anonymous
Music: from Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen BWV 43, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

All stand 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 and good, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give you thanks, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Jesus Christ the King of glory.

Born of a woman, he came to the rescue of our human race. Dying for us, he trampled death and conquered sin. By the glory of his resurrection he opened the way to life eternal, and by his ascension, gave us the sure hope that where he is we may also be.

Therefore the universe resounds with Easter joy and with choirs of angels we sing for ever to your praise:

The cantor sings Sanctus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

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.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

Let us pray, with confidence, in the words our Saviour 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.

All remain standing for the Breaking of the 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.

Alleluia! Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

The president receives communion, then says

The body and blood of Christ keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The clergy and congregation receive Holy Communion in one kind (bread only). Gluten-free wafers are available. No words of distribution are said. Hand-sanitiser is provided, and those receiving communion are advised to use it before and after adjusting their face-coverings

During the giving of communion, the cantor sings Agnus Dei and the Motet

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

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.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

from Mass in B minor BWV 232, Johann Sebastian Bach

All stand. The president says the Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

God our Father, you have raised our humanity in Christ and have fed us with the bread of heaven: mercifully grant that, nourished with such spiritual blessings, we may set our hearts in the heavenly places; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

The president pronounces the Blessing

God the Father, who has given to his Son the name above every name, strengthen you to proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord. Amen.

God the Son, who is our great high priest passed into the heavens, plead for you at the right hand of the Father. Amen.

God the Holy Spirit, who pours out his abundant gifts upon the Church, make you faithful servants of Christ our King. Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Waiting expectantly for the promised Holy Spirit, go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!

Music after the service

Transports de joie d'une âme devant la gloire du Christ qui est la sienne (L'ascension), Olivier Messiaen (1908–92)

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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