A Service of Prayer

in the Celtic Tradition

For the week of Easter VI
(From the Prayers of Joyce Denham, 2003)
For the Week of Sunday, May 9, 2021
The Rev. Dr. Chris McMullen,
Parish of Upper Kennebecasis

Call to Worship
Praise to the Father above us
Praise to the Son beside us,
Praise to the Spirit within us,
The Three all around us.
The Three of might,
The Three of mirth,
The Three of night,
The Three of bright morn,
The Three of height,
The Three of depth,
The Three of flood,
The Three of ebb tide,
The Three of frost,
The Three of flame,
The Three of quake,
The Three of calm,
The Three of my always longing soul;
Each piece,
Each part,
The whole;
Above, beside,
Within, around,
To my Great Three
Let praise abound.
(Joyce Denham, “Praise to the Three,” Circle of Prayer: Prayers and
Blessings in the Celtic Tradition [Oxford: Lion Publishing, 2003], p. 87)
(Continued…)
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Hymn of Praise
Spirit of God, unseen as the wind,
gentle as is the dove;
teach us the truth and help us believe,
show us the Saviour's love!
You spoke to us long, long ago,
gave us the written word;
we read it still, needing its truth
through it God's voice is heard.
Without your help we fail our Lord,
we cannot live His way;
we need Your power, we need Your strength,
following Christ each day.
Margaret V. Old (1932-2001) © Common Ground, 1998
Used with permission CCLI # 2319023
Prayer of Approach
King of moon, great king of sun,
King of starlight, Three in One,
Waken me in newborn dawn,
Night is fading, tired and drawn
See me needy, poor, undressed,
Wrap me in your garments blessed.
Clothe me, tailor from above,
Weaver of the garb of love.
Rip the tattered hate and scorn,
Selfish habits overworn.
Loom new fabrics, true and fine,
Interweave your heart with mine.
So in rising I shall be
Clothed in royal finery.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., pp. 10 f.)
Psalm 98
1
Sing to God a brand-new song.
He’s made a world of wonders!
He rolled up his sleeves,
He set things right.
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2
God made history with salvation,
He showed the world what he could do.
3
He remembered to love us, a bonus
To his dear family, Israel—indefatigable love.
The whole earth comes to attention.
Look—God’s work of salvation!
4
Shout your praises to God, everybody!
Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!
5
Round up an orchestra to play for God,
Add on a hundred-voice choir.
6
Feature trumpets and big trombones,
Fill the air with praises to King God.
7
Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause,
With everything living on earth joining in.
8
Let ocean breakers call out, “Encore!”
And mountains harmonize the finale—
9
A tribute to God when he comes,
When he comes to set the earth right.
He’ll straighten out the whole world,
He’ll put the world right, and everyone in it.
(Eugene Peterson, The Message, © 1998, 2002, 2018)
Prayer for Grace
Bless,
O God,
What I see,
With my eyes,
And bless
What I see
In my mind.
Bless,
O God,
What I hear
With my ears,
And bless
What I hear
In my heart.
(Continued…)
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Bless,
O God,
What I say
With my lips,
And bless
What I say
In my deeds.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., p. 15)

Scripture Lesson
Acts 10: 44-48
Meditation
Affirmation of Faith: “Ninian’s Catechism”
What is best in this world?
To do the will of our Maker.
What is His will?
That we should live
according to the laws of His creation.
How do we know these laws?
By study –
studying the Scriptures with devotion.
What tool has our Maker
provided for this study?
The intellect,
which can probe everything.
And what is the fruit of study?
To perceive the eternal Word of God
reflected in every plant and insect,
bird and animal,
and every man and woman.
(Original Source Unknown, even to Van de Weyer. Robert Van de Weyer,
Celtic Fire: The Passionate Religious Vision of Ancient Britain and Ireland
[London: Doubleday, 1990], pp. 177 f.)
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name!
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
On earth as in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
(Continued…)
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Forgive us our debts

as we forgive our debtors
Lead us not to temptation.
Deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom,
The power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Traditional, as arranged by Kirsten Easdale © 2002

Prayers of Confession and Forgiveness

Forgive me, Lord.
O Lord,
My secret and my open faults
Forgive, and grant me blameless thoughts.
Of all my heart and mind take stock,
Oh, let me please you, God, my rock.
Especially forgive me for… (name particular confessions)
(Sit quietly in God’s presence for a few more minutes.
Close by repeating the same prayer:)
O Lord,
My secret and my open faults
Forgive, and grant me blameless thoughts.
Of all my heart and mind take stock,
Oh, let me please you, God, my rock.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., p.66.)
Prayers of Supplication
God’s truth between [us] and all lies;
God’s justice between [us] and all injustice;
God’s strength between [us] and all defeat;
God’s purpose between [us] and all wavering;
God’s tenderness between [us] and all wounds;
God’s love between [us] and all hate.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., p 7, altered to first person plural.)
Bless, O loving God,
[Our] work this day, [this week].
May [we] work as your partner[s],
Caring for the world,
Creating anew;
(Continued…)
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For at the dawn of life

Your Spirit hovered
Over the waters and laboured
To bring forth trees and mountains
And every living thing.
May [we] work as Adam worked,
Naming each creature,
Calling it to become what you planned.
Give [us] patience
To bear what is unpleasant;
Strength to meet demands;
Forgiveness toward those
Who wrong [us];
Integrity in [our] dealings;
Tenderness towards all
Your creatures,
That in some small way
[We] and others may taste of Eden
Until [we] dwell in your new heavens
And your new earth,
And all [our] work is fulfilled.
In the name of the Three of Life. Amen.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., p. 29, altered to first person plural.)
Each day may I love your justice,
Each day may I act with your rightness,
Each day may I speak with your wisdom,
Each day may I be at peace with you and my neighbour,
Each day may I remember your mercies,
Each day may I observe your commands
Each day may I compose a song
To praise you, O God of seas and lands.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., p. 84.)

Prayer of Thanksgiving –for Easter

Thanks be to you, victorious Christ,
Breaking the bars to heaven’s room,
Defeating evil, death and gloom:
For ever in your empty tomb
Lock them, O conqueror of doom.
Ignite, O rising Son, hope’s blaze,
Ending earth’s nights in glorious days.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., p. 53.)
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Hymn
Born of the Water! Born of the Spirit!
Sons of the Wind, and Daughters of Fire!
Sealed with His promise, we shall inherit
More than the most we ever desire!
One through redemption, One with the Father!
Children of grace, and children of Heaven;
Joyfully sharing, faith with each other,
Sinners whose sins are ever forgiven!
Glory, all glory! Glory to Jesus;
Die we in Him, and in Him we live!
Friends for His service, heirs to the treasures,
God and God only, ever can give!
Born of the Water! Born of the Spirit!
Sons of the Wind, and Daughters of Fire!
Glory to Jesus! And to the Father,
And to the Spirit, Our Sanctifier!
Michael Perry. Adapted by C. McMullen Original © 1982 Jubilate Hymns
Used under the permission of CCLI# 3117248 (Tune: “Bunessan”)
The Benediction
Be a smooth way before [us],
Be a guiding star above [us],
Be a keen eye behind [us],
This day, this night, for ever.
[We are] weary and forlorn,
Lead [us] to the land of angels;
Let [us] sit in the presence of Christ
And surround [ourselves] with the peace of heaven;
O God of all life,
Be at peace with [each of us], be [our] support,
Be [our] star, the Captain at [our] wheel,
That [we] may lie down in peace, and rise to life anew.
(Joyce Denham, op.cit., pp. 90 f., altered to first person plural.)