Service for All Saints’ Day

Recorded on All Saints’ Day, Sunday 1st November at St. Andrew’s, Congresbury.

This week also looks at the next theme of Beauty in the Gospel of John.

Hymns, Songs, Readings and other links for All Saints Day –

17th Sunday of Re-opening – A New Church for a New Society:

“Themes in John’s Gospel.”

  • Beauty – Part A&B: Discovering the beauty that lasts

(John 13:1-17 – Jesus washes the Disciples’ feet)

Sunday 1st Nov 2020

Bible Readings:

Key Bible Reading:

John 13:1-17:  If you would like to look up the reading for yourself – simply click the link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A1-17&version=NIVUK

Set Readings for today (All Saints Day):

Revelation 7:9-end – This is one of John’s great visions of heaven.  At the centre is the Lamb, Jesus, the one who in heaven and on earth is the Saviour, the Messiah, the Redeemer, the Healer not just of humanity but of all creation.  Around Him are those whose robes have been washed white in His blood.  This is perhaps a strange image, how can robes be washed white by red blood?  But if we view these words as pointing to something beyond themselves we discover a great spiritual truth and indeed reality – “that we grow by falling,” that the way to the true greatness of the saints is not that they were incredible women and men who somehow achieved spiritual enlightenment, but that they were simply men and women just like you and I, with many of the same faults and imperfections, but who simply chose a path to allow God to love them and to wash their souls ever more fully with His profound and infinite love.  Beautiful.

1John 3:1-3 – John picks up in his letter so much of what we have just discovered in the reading from the Book of Revelation.  John then simply puts it into his own words pointing us to the secret, or perhaps more importantly, the truth of the spiritual life, “those who draw close to Jesus in love, allow themselves, even unconsciously, to be purified by His love in the process, for such is His good pleasure – even as He is pure.      

Matthew 5:1-12 – Matthew forms the same thoughts this time in Jesus’ vision and manifesto for a new world – a world upside down, or perhaps right side up in terms of today’s values.  Where those who are humble are greatest, those who seek to tread gently discover they inherit much, those who care passionately about others will be rewarded, and those who long to build rather than tear down discover their true identity as children of God.  Given how we as individuals, as the Church, and as humanity so often seem determined to walk in the opposite direction to such ways, we have much yet to learn.

Hymns and Songs for All Saints Sunday:

Traditional:

  1. “Morning has broken” – Cat Stevens version with lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-n-Zmglt0

During Communion:

After the Livestream:

  • “Conceirto d’Aranjuez” – From the film, “Brassed Off” – otherwise known as “Concerto d’Orange Juice” – capturing a community’s search for beauty in moments of music in the face of the hard life of the pit (Pete Postlethwaite at his very best): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo8hIc7DpuE&t=2s
  • Rare footage of the original “Grimethorpe Colliery Band” upon whom the film was based playing this piece in a concert with a young man – Joe Wellman in the lead role: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwM4ZpF28CA

Something for Children:

  1. From the Disney film “Mulan” – “Reflection” (about beauty being about who you are not the labels that we hear) with Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGGXsm0a5s0&feature=youtu.be
  2. Version including Christina Aguilera who sang the original score: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzHR0IErM60&feature=youtu.be

Modern:

We have been told by Facebook that unfortunately we are not able to play recorded artists during the actual “Livestream” itself at present, so we are playing certain videos either Before or After as a physical Church.  So that everyone can share in a full experience of the breadth of the worship life of the Church details of this music is given here:

  1. “Gold” by Britt Nicole – speaking about God finding the “gold” that is within (good for anyone struggling): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9PjrtcHJPo