Copy and paste into worship material, perhaps using a word or text processor - either complete services or parts. Use of bold for congregational vocal participation is suggestive only and usually follows on from the original.
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (1932), Orders of Worship: For Use in Unitarian and Free Christian Congregations, London: The Lindsey Press, 50-62 (with reformatting and very slight editing).
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¶ The Service may commence with an Introit or a Hymn.
The Minister shall then read one or more of these sentences of Scripture, and the Call to Worship which follows. Sentences. ¶ All standing. IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto his name; to show forth his loving-kindness in the morning, and his faithfulness every night. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. |
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Call to Worship.
IN the holy quiet of this hour, let us pray that sense of the nearness of God may be quickened within us. May our hearts be filled with gratitude and praise, and may our spirits be gladdened and uplifted by the thought of our kinship with God; and let us awaken to the privilege of our high calling to become fellow-workers with him. |
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Let us pray.
¶ All kneeling. ALMIGHTY and All-merciful God, Giver of life and Maker of souls, grant that we may be of one heart with all thy worshippers who look to thee in spirit and in truth. We thank thee for the precious gift of life, for the riches of nature, the truths of righteousness, the hope of immortality, and the love that binds us to the living and the dead. Raise us above lowness of mind or sadness of spirit, and teach us to see our work and our rest, our sins and our endeavours, our joys and our sorrows, in the light that comes from thee. Uplift our hearts, confirm our trust, sanctify our affections, and let the veils that hide thee from us be taken away. Amen. |
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Collect for Morning.
O LORD our God, Giver of the light which gladdens the face of the earth, grant that we may be children of the light and of the day. Let the sun of thy righteousness shine in our hearts, enlightening our reason, making clear our conscience, kindling our love. We would give ourselves to thee this day, beseeching thee so to rule and govern us by thy good Spirit, that all evil thoughts and desires may be driven from our hearts, and that we may walk with joy in the light of thy countenance and in the way of thy commandments. Amen. Collect for Evening. LORD of the evening hour, who hast often met with us at close of day, be our refuge now from the noise of the world and the cares of our own spirits. Grant us thy peace. Let not the darkness of our ignorance and folly, of our errors and sins come between our souls and thee. Quicken and refresh our hearts, renew and increase our strength, that by our worship at this time we may be enabled to serve thee better in our daily lives, as disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen. |
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The Lord's Prayer.
OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. |
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Minister. O Lord, open thou our lips. People. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. ¶ All standing. Minister. Lift up your hearts. People. We lift them up unto the Lord. |
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¶ Then may be said or sung the following Psalm.
PSALM CXLVIII (148) PRAISE ye the Lord: praise ye the Lord from the heavens praise him in the heights. Praise him all his angels praise him all his hosts. Praise him sun and moon: praise him all ye stars of light. Praise him ye heavens of heavens and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the Lord our God: for he commanded and they were created. He hath made them fast for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not be broken. Praise the Lord from the earth: ye dragons and all deeps; Fire and hail snow and vapour: stormy wind fulfilling his word; Mountains and all hills fruitful trees and all cedars; Beasts and all cattle creeping things and flying fowl. Kings of the earth and all people: princes and judges of the earth; Both young men and maidens old men and children praise the name of the Lord for his name alone is excellent his glory above the heaven and earth. Glory be to G6d the Father Almighty: Maker of heaven and earth As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen. |
| THE FIRST LESSON |
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¶ Then may be said or sung the following Psalm; or a Hymn may here be sung instead.
PSALM XXVII (27) THE Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear: the Lord is the strength of my life of whom I shall I be a-fraid? Though an host should encamp against me my heart I shall not I fear though war should use against me even in this will I be I confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord kind to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me up up on a rock. Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice have mercy upon me and hear me. When thou didst say Seek I ye my face: my heart said unto thee Thou face Lord I will I seek. Hide not thy face from me: put not thy servant away in anger. Thou hast been my help: leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up. Teach me thy way O I Lord: and lead me in a plain path because of them that I lie in wait. Verily I had I fainted: unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall I strengthen thine heart: yea I wait thou on the Lord. Glory be to God most high: the ever I blessed I God our Father, Who is and was and shall be: world without end. Amen. |
| THE SECOND LESSON |
| ¶ Here may be sung an ANTHEM. |
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¶ The following Litany, with Responses by the People, may then be said; or the Service may proceed direct to the Prayers.
A LITANY OF FAITH Let us pray. ¶ All kneeling. O GOD, eternal and ever blessed, source of the light and love that never fail; hear us as we now beseech thee to lead us in thy truth and draw us nearer to thyself in trust and love. By all thy marvellous works, thy wonders in the heavens and on the earth; by the order which reigns over all, the beauty which shines through all, and the bounty which blesses all: Teach us and lead us ever nearer to thee. By the remembrance of thine ancient mercies and the witness of thine unfading care; by the revelation of thyself to saints of old and to the noble and true-hearted in our own day; by every holy record of wisdom and piety; by every faithful word of thy servants, and by every good example: Teach us and lead us ever nearer to thee. By the grace and truth of Jesus Christ; by the quickening power of his spirit; by his ideal of true manhood and womanhood in the service of thy kingdom; by his faithfulness unto death, and the triumph of his love beyond the power of death; by the joyous fellowship of all true followers of his, in the worship of thee and the service of their fellow-men: Teach us and lead us ever nearer to thee. By all the experience and discipbne of life, in health and sicknvss, in failure and success, in sorrow and joy; by the conflict of our souls with temptation; by our shame and defeat, and by our aspiration, striving. and victory Teach us and lead us ever nearer to thee. By the loving-kindness which thou hast shown us from the beginning of our days until now; by the sanctities of home; by the love of little children; by the eagerness and zest of youth; by the affection and fidelity of friends; by the trials and bereavements which chasten and hallow our earthly love; by all remembrance of our loved ones gone before us into the world of light: Teach us and lead us ever nearer to thee. O THOU who art the light of the minds that know thee, the strength of the wills that serve thee, the joy of the hearts that love thee; grant us so to know thee that we may truly love thee, and so to love thee that we may fully serve thee. to the honour and glory of thy holy name. Amen. |
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¶ The Minister may then offer Prayer, either extempore, or a selection from the following or other prayers, at his discretion, and as occasion may demand.
Prayers. ¶ All kneeling. Let us thank God for the manifold blessings of life. O GOD our Father, we thank thee for the joy of all our days; for gladness that is born of strength and vigour, and for quietness and rest that dwell with age; for aims that have grown with knowledge, and purposes that have been quickened by the words and deeds of noble souls; for all that teaches us to know and serve thee better we would lift up our hearts in gratitude. For love that lightens labour and makes our life richer than we know, we bless thee; and even though thou sometimes blend our happiness with grief and our joy with anxious care, still shall our song be of thee and our prayer to the God of our life. May we ever praise thee for the light of knowledge and the lessons of experience, and through the communion of thy holy Spirit may thy goodness be the joy and comfort and inspiration of our lives. Amen. Let us remember all that we owe to the present and the past. ETERNAL and ever-blessed God, who hast made us the heirs of many ages and set us in the midst of many brethren; deepen our gratitude for thy blessings as we have received them from our fathers, our benefactors, and our friends. May we never forget the kindness that surrounds us in the present, nor be careless of the treasures we inherit from the past; but having a lively sense of our debt to the brethren, and a loving remembrance of departed generations, may we reverently carry forward the work of the ages, and daily endeavour, as faithful stewards, to enrich the same by a good conversation and a godly life. We thank thee for the fellowship of the living, with whom we share thy mercies and adore thy name for partners in duty; for comrades in the good fight; for all who feet with our joys and our sorrows; and especially for those by whom we are beloved and whom we love. We also bless thy holy name for the labours of the men of old; for the succession of prophets, apostles, martyrs, and holy men continued even to this day; for leaders and commanders of the people, who have made themselves great by becoming the servants of all; and for the nameless multitude of the loyal and devoted, who have fallen asleep in their generations, leaving their memorial with thee. Make us of one heart, we beseech thee, with all these thy worshippers; of one purpose with all these thy servants; of one communion with all these thy saints; and of one will with thine. Amen. Let us pray for the spirit of love and service. O GOD, Fountain of mercy, dispose us, we beseech thee, to the love and practice of kindness and mercy, that we may have a tender feeling for the afflictions of our brethren, and may apply ourselves cheerfully to strengthen them in all goodness, to relieve their miseries, to supply their wants, and to comfort their sorrows. May we be ever ready to assist the oppressed, right the injured, pardon them that have offended against us, and render good for evil. Let our affections be set on things pure and beautiful, just and true, treasures of the spirit beyond the power of death. Lead us in the way of peace, and perfect in us the true spiral of fellowship, as thy children. Amen. Let us pray for peace and goodwill among men. O THOU who art the God and Father of mankind, may thy blessing rest upon all men, that in every nation thou mayest be adored, and thy holy will acknowledged as the universal law. May prosperity be founded in justice, sympathy, and goodwill. Through the communion of thy Spirit may the peoples be joined to one another as a sacred brotherhood, each seeking the good of all. Let selfishness, violence, and fraud perish from the earth. So may war and cruelty pass away, and men live together in unity; peace, and concord, through loyalty to thee, who art the Lord of nations and the King of kings. Amen. |
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Concluding Collect.
O GOD, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for them that seek thee; grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldst have us to do; that the spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble. |
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¶ Here rnay be a brief pause for Silent Prayer.
Let us pray silently. O GOD, who givest us these quiet moments of holy thought and prayer; mercifully receive our supplications, and grant that we may continually advance in the love of thee, and evermore abide in thy peace. Amen. |
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¶ The Service may then continue as follows, or in such other order as is preferred.
HYMN SERMON OFFERTORY HYMN |
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¶ Collect before the Morning Benediction.
SET us free, O Lord, from all restlessness and anxiety; give us that peace and power which flow from thee; keep us in all perplexity and distress, that, upheld by thy strength and stayed on the rock of thy faithfulness, we may abide in thee now and evermore. Amen. |
| BENEDICTION |
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AT CLOSE OF DAY
¶ Collect before the Evening Benediction. O LORD, support us all the day long, until the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy give us safe lodging and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen. |
Adrian Worsfold
Pluralist - Liberal and Thoughtful