Methodist Celebrations 2007

Charles Wesley
300th Anniversary

Worship Resources for the Charles Wesley Tercentenary

Charles Wesley was born on 18 December 1707 (‘Old Style’), at Epworth, Lincolnshire, where his father was Rector. He died in London and is buried at St Marylebone Church. The proximity of Charles’ birthday to Christmas may be seen as an opportunity – or as an encouragement to celebrate the tercentenary at some other point during the year! With this flexibility in mind, several worship resources are provided here, and it is hoped that others will be added during 2007.

The first resource comprises a Service of Celebration of the Tercentenary, complete with a selection of suggested hymns, Bible readings and prayers. The centrepiece of the service is a brief Act of Commemoration following the sermon.
The second resource may be most appropriate in an ecumenical context, especially where the congregation reflects the Covenant between the Methodist Church of Great Britain and the Church of England, signed in 2003. Here the Act of Commemoration is linked to prayers which were used at the signing of the Covenant, thus reflecting the Wesley brothers’ roots in the Anglican tradition.
The final section of this material comprises a list of websites which may be useful to those planning services for the tercentenary year.

In this material HP = Hymns and Psalms (1983) and MWB = The Methodist Worship Book (1999).

The Methodist historian, John Vickers, has also compiled material suitable for a hymn celebration, which can be downloaded here.

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A SERVICE TO CELEBRATE THE TERCENTENARY
OF THE BIRTH OF
CHARLES WESLEY (1707- 88)

THE PREPARATION

1. A sentence of Scripture may be read.

2. This or some other hymn:

Ye servants of God your Master proclaim (HP 278)

3. Prayer of approach

God of all,
whose glory is beyond our praise
and whose power is beyond all telling,
inspire our offering
that from our hearts
we may join
the praises of all creation.

Come bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord:
Blessed be God for ever.

Age to age sings
of your mighty acts
and of your saving love and mercy.

Come bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord:
Blessed be God for ever.

Through poet’s word and music’s sound
we hear your truth
and sing your praise,
that from every tongue
may rise
a ceaseless song of your glory.

Come bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord:
Blessed be God for ever.

Gracious God,
send your Holy Spirit
that your presence may fill
this offering of your people
now
and in all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

4. Prayer of confession and declaration of forgiveness

Let us confess our sins to God.

Silence

God of light and life and love,
You call us to walk in the light,
But we have chosen the darkness;
You give us life,
But we have abused your gift;
You reach out to us in love,
But we have turned away from you.
We are truly sorry
And repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ,
Forgive us our sins,
And set us free to love and serve you,
Now and always. Amen.

If we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just
And will forgive our sins,
And cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Amen. Thanks be to God.

5. The collect of the day, or the collect for John and Charles Wesley (MWB page 562)

6. The Lord’s Prayer

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

7. One or two readings from scripture

8. This or some other hymn:

Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire (HP 469)

9. Gospel reading: John 15: 7-17

10. Hymn:

Love divine all loves excelling (HP 267)

11. Sermon

THE RESPONSE

12. The Commemoration

A single candle may be lit.

Let us give thanks to God
for the life and ministry of
Charles Wesley,
priest, poet, musician,
hymn-writer;
preacher of the Gospel:

born at Epworth, Lincolnshire, December 18th 1707;
died in London, March 29th 1788.

For his skill in poetry and music ;
for his founding role with his brother John
in renewing the life of grace and holiness;
for his continuing influence and inspiration upon the life
of the people called Methodists
and in the whole church of God;

for the life of this your servant
among your saints, O Lord,

We praise your name for ever.

13. Hymn:

Away with our fears, the glad morning appears (HP 664)

14. Prayers

In these prayers the verses of the hymn by Charles Wesley (HP 381) are sung as the prayer response to each petition.

Let us with one heart and one mind offer our prayers to God.
Let us pray:

Send us, God of truth and love,
into the life of the world you love so much
that you sent to us your only Son;
Give us eyes to perceive you at work there.

Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,
My daily labour to pursue,
Thee, only thee, resolved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.

Give us grace to recognise your presence
in our daily life and work,
with those among whom you have placed us,
and in the work you have given to us.

The task thy wisdom has assigned
O let me cheerfully fulfil,
In all my works thy presence find,
And prove thy good and perfect will.

Grant to us
and to all who are given authority
a true purpose and intention
that accords with your will
that justice and peace
may fill the earth.

Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost substance see,
And labour on at thy command,
And offer all my works to thee.

Sustain all those living through times of difficulty
and pain,
the oppressed longing for freedom;
those who have lost heart;
may they know that your loving purpose for them
endures for ever.

Give me to bear thy easy yoke,
And every moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to thy glorious day;

Grant to us in all our days
the strength and grace to serve you
among all your faithful people
on earth and in heaven.

For thee delightfully employ
Whate'er thy bounteous grace has given,
And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with thee to heaven.

God whose praises
resound through earth and heaven,
hear the prayers of your people.
In the work of our hands,
and the offering of our lives,
may it be our desire and joy
to praise you for ever,
and to share with all your saints
that joy which never ends,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE DISMISSAL

15. This or some other hymn:

Father of everlasting grace (HP 300)

16. A blessing:

God, who is glorious in his saints,
inspire you with his grace;
may his love be ever in your hearts
and his praises ever upon your lips;
and the blessing of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be upon you now and always.
Amen.

Suggested readings:

1 Chronicles 16:7-36 (or selections therefrom);
1 Peter 1:1-9 (verses 6 and 7 may be omitted);
Colossians 3:14–17;
Revelation 5:6-13.

Suggested psalms:

Psalms 96; 98; 100; 150.

Suggested hymns:

O for a thousand tongues to sing (HP 744)
Angel voices ever singing (HP 484)
Father of everlasting grace (HP 300)
When in our music God is glorified (HP 388)
Born in song (HP 486)
Father in whom we live (HP 4)
Come, O thou Traveller unknown (HP 434)
I’ll praise my maker while I’ve breath (HP 439)
Come to us creative Spirit (HP 377)
Meet and right it is to sing (HP 501)
Give me the faith which can remove (HP 767)
My heart is full of Christ (HP 799)

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AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING AND COMMEMORATION
FOR THE LIFE AND MINISTRY
OF
CHARLES WESLEY (1707-1788)
EVANGELIST AND HYMN WRITER

This material may be most appropriately used in an ecumenical context, and reflects the Covenant between the Methodist Church of Great Britain and the Church of England (2003).

Hymn:

Love divine all loves excelling (HP 267)

Ever Living God,
you are the hope of the world
and the joy of the nations.
In wisdom and love
you have brought forth the wonders of creation
and fashioned us in your own image.

Blessèd be God for ever.

Ever-living God,
you have caused the light of your glory
to shine forth in the face of Jesus Christ
and through the preaching of the gospel
you have called into being
one holy, catholic and apostolic Church
throughout the world.

Blessèd be God for ever.

Ever-living God,
you have blessed our nation
through the ministry and witness of the Church of England,
and by its saints, its divines and its parish life.
You have renewed the life of the nation
by raising up your servants John and Charles Wesley
and through the ministry and witness of the people called
Methodist.

Blessèd be God for ever.

Therefore with the Church of all the ages,
with apostles, evangelists and martyrs
and with all the angels in heaven
we give you thanks and praise.

Blessèd be God for ever.

Ever-living God,
who sent your Holy Spirit
to be the life and light of your Church:
open our hearts to the riches of your grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
in love and joy and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

THE COMMEMORATION

A single candle may be lit.

Let us give thanks to God
for the life and ministry of
Charles Wesley,
priest, poet, musician,
hymn-writer;
preacher of the Gospel:

born at Epworth, Lincolnshire, December 18th 1707;
died in London, March 29th 1788.

for the life of this your servant
among your saints, O Lord,

We praise your name for ever.

Hymn:

Away with our fears, the glad morning appears (HP 664)

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Websites

http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=welcome.content&cmid=12

http://www.methodistanniversaries2007.org.uk/charles.htm

http://www.united-church.ca/wesley/liturgy.shtm

http://www.gbod.org/worship/worship/articles.asp?loc_id=639,1122&act=nav_loc

http://www.wesleysociety.org/