Choral Evensong - Sunday 6 March, 5.45pm

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign [Music] hey [Music] [Music] [Music] songs [Music] is [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign foreign [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] please welcome everybody to this service of coral even song in merton college chapel hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities dearly beloved brethren the scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of almighty god our heavenly father but confess them with a humble lowly penitent and obedient heart to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy and although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before god yet ought we most chiefly so to do when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands to set forth his most worthy praise to hear his most holy word and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul wherefore i pray and beseech you as many as are here present to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice unto the throne of the heavenly grace saying after me almighty and most merciful father we have earned and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts we have offended against cries we have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done and there is no health on us but thou o lord have mercy upon us miserable offenders spare thou them o god which confess therefore 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 lord [Music] god makes peace [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Music] we sit whilst the choir sings the samadhi psalm 119 verses 73 to 88. [Music] oh [Music] because i [Music] and [Music] faithfulness [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Music] my soul has [Music] [Music] r [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] after my lord oh [Music] i [Music] [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] the first lesson is written in the book of jonah the word of the lord came to jonah a second time saying get up go to nineveh that great city and proclaim it to the message i tell that i tell you so jonah set out and went to nineveh according to the word of the lord now nineveh was an exceedingly large city a three days walk across jonah began to go into the city going a day's walk and he cried out forty days more and nineveh shall be overthrown and the people of nineveh believed god they proclaimed a fast and everyone great and small put on a sackcloth when the news reached the king of nineveh he rose from his throne removed his robe covered himself with a sackcloth and sat in ashes then he had a proclamation made in nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles no human being or animal no herd or flock shall taste anything they shall not feed they shall not drink water that nor shall they drink water human beings and animals that shall be covered with sackcloth and they shall cry mightily to god all shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands who knows god may relent and change his mind he may turn from his fierce anger so that we do not perish when god saw what they did how they turned from their evil ways god changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them and he did not do it here ends the first lesson [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Music] yourself [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] yourself [Music] is [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] is [Applause] [Music] is [Music] hey [Applause] [Music] the second lesson is written in the gospel according to luke chapter 18. he also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt two men went up to the temple to pray one a pharisee and the other a tax collector the pharisee standing by himself was praying thus god i thank you that i am not like other people thieves rogues adulterers or even like this tax collector i fast twice a week i give a tenth of all my income but the tax collector standing far off would not even look up to heaven but was beating his breast and saying god be merciful to me a sinner i tell you this man went down to his home justified rather than the other for all who exalt themselves will be humbled but all who humble themselves will be exalted here ends the second lesson oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] i believe in god he descended i believe ah me [Music] let us [Music] us [Music] [Music] oh as we forgive those who dress up against us and lead us temptation but consider us lord shall thy mercy upon us [Music] oh [Music] with righteousness [Music] [Applause] [Music] r [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] forty days and forty nights give us grace to you such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in the righteousness and to holiness to thy honor and glory create us with the father one [Music] almighty and everlasting god who hates nothing that [Music] last forgive the sins of all them [Music] and acknowledging our virgins may obtain of thee the god of all mercy perfect remission and forgiveness through jesus christ [Music] [Music] [Music] give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commands and also that by thee we being defended [Music] may pass our time with rest and quietness through the merits of jesus christ our savior [Music] the light and our darkness we beseech you and by thy greater mercy defend us and dangers of this [Music] jesus christ [Music] if you turn to page 16 of the booklets you'll find the schedule of services for this week morning prayer each day at 8 15 coral even song on tuesday thursday and friday at 6 15 and a coral eucharist some by our gold choristers at 6 15 on wednesday it's a very great pleasure to welcome as our preacher this evening the right reverend william juarcijo bishop willie served as a bishop in the solomon islands before moving to the uk in the 1990s to be a parish priest and honorary assistant bishop in the diocese of chester many of you will know that the college has an important connection with the church in the solomon islands through mertonian john coleridge patterson the first anglican bishop of melanesia this evening in the anti-chapel next to patterns memorial you'll find an exhibition detailing patterson's life and work as well as the college's portrait of him do take a look before you leave this evening this terms chapel charity is the u.n refugee agency now engaged in important work supporting refugees from ukraine if you'd like to make a donation then you'll find the collection plate in the anti-chapel and finally after the service everyone is welcome to stay and join us for a drink choi now sings the anthem lo the full final sacrifice music by gerald finzee [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] uh [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] streets [Music] oh is [Music] [Applause] foreign [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] uh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] yes [Music] foreign [Music] a [Music] um is [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] yes [Music] is [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Music] oh foreign [Music] r [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] my [Music] oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] us is [Music] ah [Music] [Music] so [Music] lord grant what i say what we hear bring glory to you father son and holy spirit amen bring you greetings from melanesia the countries in the south pacific solomon islands vanuatu and new caledonia the province african province of melanesia with nine dioceses the promise of melanesia was inaugurated as an independent province within the anglican communion in 1975. hundred and one hundred and five years of the john cory patterson's martyrdom if you look at the display here in the church in the porch there you will find that that was the church john cory pattison dreamt of the church he saw as a malination where leaders of the church there will be people from the islands and because of that the church of melanesia is the church belongs to bishop patterson he founded the church of course with his friend george agusta salwin first bishop of new zealand and so i bring you greetings from those many hundreds of islands in the south pacific i also bring you greetings from the melination mission uk a charity that has been been founded by the missionaries returning from the work in the islands and form this association to support the work of the mission by prayer arms giving and support in many ways where they send missionaries since the time of bishop george augustus selwyn in 1849 until today we inherit a lot from the church of england people ask me why are you here what are you doing in this country i say i'm here as a missionary to thank you for the work you have done in bringing the gospel to us in the islands we are a product of the faith the love and the care of this church the people here you have given much to us and i'm only here as one of many who have come to say thank you to the church and the people of the united kingdom i first heard of the name john couric patterson 1960 when i attended a junior primary school named after him on my island and also two teachers from the school named paterson there we celebrate the feast of bishop and martyr every year as we still do in melanesia with fisting drama and traditional dancing in our custom dress and attire the story of patterson's matterdom was retold preached and acted out in drama the years i was at school from 1960 until i left college in 1974. there in that college we train priests catechists in theological center were named other john cory paterson there we trained missionaries to go out to work as evangelists in ministry in the islands also sharing the gospel overseas in papua new guinea in the philippines new zealand and also mission two mission done here in the uk since two thousand in 1971 my first year at bishop patterson center we celebrate the centenary of our bishops martyrdom first the laying of the foundation stone of our college chapel by sir john garch sir john was a high commissioner for the western pacific and was based in honiara solomon islands from 1955 to 1960 he wrote a book to mark the centenary of the motherland called martyr of the islands the life and death of john corey patterson the college staff and students also did a presentation at saint barnabas cathedral honiara in our capital with a drama enacting the story of the life of bishop partisan leading worship on hymns under the direction of mrs mural jones our warden's wife who was an excellent in drama we had various church dignitaries from new zealand and australia visiting us during the centenary year at college preaching historical sermons on the evolution of the church in the pacific it was very moving when the archbishop of melbourne apologized for the black birding done by australians that led to the martyrdom of paterson and his companions on the isle of newcapple eastern solomon islands the text he preached on was john chapter 4 verse 13 8 i sent you to reap what you have not worked for others have done the hard work and you have ripped the benefits of their labor it was a fitting text every time we celebrate the feast day of our bishop and martyr including our founding fathers and mothers of the mission from 1977 to 1978 i served my accuracy in mission bay parish auckland diocese in new zealand the parish church of kohimarama mission bay was dedicated to the martyrs of melanesia and one of the main roads in the parish known as palestine avenue i walked along that avenue every morning and evening to church another memory of our beloved bishop patterson is here in the uk at exeter cathedral his home diocese where the pulpit in his memory depicting his martyrdom is so powerful and standing in the parish church of arlington where he served as a kid before he left for malinisha and visiting his family's home in fannington it was like walking on holy ground the same thing could be said when visiting this college spurs is staying here last night and today and walking around this college it brings that connection to me it was special the connection of a holy man whose faith in god and his sacrificial love has touched us in melanesia in many ways and even so powerful still today 150 years later the inscription of his memorial on the isle of nocapu reads his life was taken by men for whom for whose sake he would willingly have given it there is a feeling of guilt on our part in malaysia every time we celebrate the feast of bishop palestine and yet there is much celebration and rejoicing at the same time as if evil has been conquered and defeated by the death of bishop addison bishop patterson is a saint according to melanesia he is honored in many village churches and are dedicated in his memory also schools and names of people bear the name in every generation we have great admiration for bishop patterson sorry faith and witness to the gospel a living legacy that we inherited by his death i believe that has rubbed off on us to be a missionary-minded church outgoing sharing the gospel witnessing the good news of jesus christ we have seen this most recently in the martyrdom of our seven brothers in 2003 on the growth of our four religious orders society of saint francis community sisters of the church the millennium brotherhood and the community of sisters of melanesia we believe and we know this is true the bishop palestine was truly a servant and a disciple of our lord jesus christ who gave his whole life for the gospel and formerly he was a shining star for god who touched the lives of million melanesia in the past in the present time and years to come his martyrdom happened when on his return trip visiting his diocese in central solomon islands where he visited malayta the alleyway i come from hulawa san cristobal santa cruz on their new carpool on his way to norfolk island in new zealand bringing scholars who were on furlough from the islands on board with him were members of his team ministry joseph hatkin priest from new zealand stephen taro nera teacher from san crucible in the solomons they too both died of wounds from the poison arrows also on board a young man by the name joseph water a relative of mine from like where i come from the isle of malayta he was one of those who went to relief to retrieve the body of bishop's body from the canoe that adrift that was the first time bishop patterson went on on the island on him by himself that was not the first time the bishop went ashore swimming ashore that was the first time this congregation saw him but this god-fearing man while he was doing his ministry in his diocese he was met by all the different challenges the huge obstacle was from black birding where trade traders come to steal men to go and work in the sugarcane fields in fiji and in queensland john corey patterson our bishop and martyr when he was approaching the island on the ship those who were with him reflect what his message that morning when he was talking to them about the bravery of the first christian martyr saint stephen they recalled him saying to them what happened stephen can still happen today and it may even happen today and indeed it happened to him the darkest moment for the diocese of melanesia and even so 150 years later we celebrate the murderdom of this wonderful bishop john college patterson but the role of the bishop of the of the women in the islands needs to be mentioned because during the motherland while the man did the worst when they killed the bishop it was the women who wept for him jesus it was the women who wrapped his body in the mat it was the women who took his body and laid it on a canoe it was the women who left the canoe adrift so that the man on the ship could retrieve his body and so bishop patterson our mata was buried at sea so that his spirit his soul his love his sacrifice could be washed on the source of the islands of his diocese and so his marks his legacy of the mission and his motto we want to keep and remember today true religion sound learning [Music] and useful industry was the matter of the mission in the islands and i believe he must have taken it from this college true religion and sound learning there are the five marks today of the church the five marks of mission we have in the anglican church today and as a church sharing the good news nurturing followers of jesus offering loving service seeking justice and reconciliation and caring for creation and so from this place i believe you tell and proclaim the kingdom of god from this place you teach the baptize and nurture new believers from this place you respond to the human need by loving service from this place you transform you change societies unjust structures and from this place as a college as a community of faith you can treasure and safeguard the integrity of the creation amen let us pray jesus said all who humble themselves will be exalted us give thanks to god for bishop john coleridge patterson for his vision for his commitment to christ and the peoples of melanesia for his courage and sacrificial love and let us pray for the province of melanesia today for archbishop leonards and those whom he serves for the melanesian brotherhood and for the work of the melanesian mission in these days of lent may they and all christian people be inspired by paterson's example to live generously for the sake of others in response to the call of christ god of all tribes and peoples and tongues who called your servant john coleridge patterson to witness in life and death to the gospel of christ amongst the peoples of melanesia grant us to hear your call to service and to respond trustfully and joyfully to jesus our redeemer who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit one god now and forever the psalmist sings let thy merciful kindness be my comfort let us hold before god in prayer all those who are in need of his comfort and mercy this evening let us pray especially for ukraine and all those caught up in the war there for the peoples of that country and of russia their political leaders and the members of their armed forces all who have been injured those who are besieged and live in fear all who have fled as refugees the bereaved and those who have died as we implore god's mercy upon them let us pray for the strength and courage to be agents of his peace god of infinite mercy and kindness we trust in your good purposes for all your children we pray for those who at this time face danger in the defense of justice watch over those in peril support those who are anxious for loved ones gather into your heavenly kingdom those who have died remove from the hearts of all people the passions that keep alive the spirit of war and in your goodness restore peace and stability to the people of ukraine for the sake of the prince of peace jesus christ our lord in silence let us offer to god our own prayers we join our prayers together in the words of the grace the grace of our lord jesus christ and the love of god and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with us all evermore amen we stand to sing our final hymn there's a wideness in god's mercy so [Music] ah [Music] foreign [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] to deny yourselves take up your cross and follow him and the blessing of god almighty the father the son and the holy spirit rest upon you and remain with you always in memoria 10 eric justice nostrum [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: MertonCollegeChoir

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Id: 16xP30HiDPY

Length: 91min 45sec (5505 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 06 2022