Shipley Church Self-Service
Sunday 22<sup>nd</sup> November 2020
Thought for the Week – O come, let us sing unto the Lord
The liturgical year culminates with St Matthew asserting that Christ makes himself known to those we readily put down, the hungry, the sick and even those imprisoned as well as to the faithful (Matthew 25: 31-46). Jesus’ ministry concludes as he enters into Jerusalem as Christ the King. Today’s psalm (Psalm 95) is one of several that call for us to praise Him, and to do so with music and song. The Psalms in the Old Testament originate from the early Hebrew Bible, and are thought to have been written over an extended period of a thousand years of Jewish history between 1440 & 586 BC. They have had a profound effect on the development of Christian worship, and of course, form the backbone of Morning and Evening Prayer in the Anglican Church.
Worship in the Jewish temple included songs, shouts, and dancing to a variety of musical instruments: “Come let us sing to the Lord; let us shout for joy.” (Psalm 95); “Be joyful in the Lord; come before his presence with a song.” (Psalm 100); “O praise God in his holiness; praise him in the sound of the trumpet.” (Psalm 150). Music powerfully expresses the response of Christians to the love and grace of God, and the enduring popularity of the BBC’s “Songs of Praise” reflects the significance of this in many people’s lives today. In the hope that it won’t be too long before we are permitted to sing again in church, be of good cheer, and praise the Lord!
Hymn for today
Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When He has purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o'er earth and heav'n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv'n:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Prayer for today
We pray for our parish community – particularly asking that Christ’s love will comfort us, calm our fears, and lead our nation and our world through this tragic pandemic.
Note: The Gospel and readings set for today can be downloaded from the top right corner of this page.