The Greeting
We worship you, O God,
with songs of praise.
We worship you with words of prayer
and with ears that listen for you to speak.
We long for a glimpse of your glory:
the glory that shines in the darkness.
The darkness cannot overcome it;
the glory that touches lives with a beauty so holy
that it heals the wounded soul;
the glory that gives strength to the weary.
Hymn 52 Tune Ratisbon
We say sorry for the things we have done wrong
Loving God, we confess that we are not living in the freedom that you
offer to those who have been baptized: that we are sometimes
overwhelmed by guilt and envy; that we are consumed by anger and
greed; that we are inhibited by anxiety and fear; that we are
sometimes passive or resentful or unforgiving. God of justice, hear
our prayer for mercy, grant us forgiveness and give us your peace.
Amen.
We are forgiven
May the God of love forgive us, lift our burdens from us,
heal and strengthen us by his spirit; that we may journey in love,
to live our lives freely and lightly. Amen.

Collect
Almighty God,
by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born,
and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Saviour,
by the preaching of repentance:
Lead us to repent according to his preaching,
and, after his example, constantly to speak the truth,
boldly to rebuke vice, and patiently to suffer for the truth’s sake;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah.
Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
A voice says, ‘Cry out!’
And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;*
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,*
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
‘Here is your God!’
See, the Lord God comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 40: 1-11

Psalm 85
7 Show us your mercy, O Lord, ♦︎
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what the Lord God will say, ♦︎
for he shall speak peace to his people and to the faithful,
that they turn not again to folly.
9 Truly, his salvation is near to those who fear him, ♦︎
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together, ♦︎

righteousness and peace have kissed each other;
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth ♦︎
and righteousness look down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give all that is good, ♦︎
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him ♦︎
and direct his steps in the way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be:
world without end. Amen.
A reading from the Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law
until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian
until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that
faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ
Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no
longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer
male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong
to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the
promise.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Galatians 3: 23-29

Hymn 6 Tune St Denio

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ, according to St Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her
neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy
to her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going
to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to
be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’
Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted
to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’
And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his
tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their
neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire
hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What
then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with
him.
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness
until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 1: 57-66, 80

What do we believe? (we say together)
We believe in God the Father, the source of all life, by whom every
family in heaven and earth has been created.
We believe in God the Son, our friend and brother Jesus, who lives in
our hearts through faith and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with his power,
and makes Jesus known in the world.
We believe and trust in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Hymn 493 Tune Hyfrydol

We say our prayers
Lord Jesus, as we pray today, help us to know the glory of your presence
among us and to see more clearly the beauty of your holiness.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Lord Jesus, you are the fulfilment of the law and the prophets of Israel
and in you the hopes and fears of all people are met. Give us grace to
receive from you all that we need for today and the coming week. Inspire
your church today with a renewed vision of your glory so that we may walk
as children of light and, by your grace, reveal your presence in the world.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Lord Jesus, we pray to you for the life of this nation with its joys and its
sorrows. We pray for all those who are involved in government in this
island of Ireland. Give wisdom to all those who are in authority over
others. We pray for justice and equality for all your children.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Lord Jesus, we pray for all who are in distress, as a result of war and
violence. May your power extend over all the earth, bringing peace and
comfort where there is war and disaster.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Lord Jesus, you know what it is to suffer pain. Help us to know that you
are with us and all who are sick or suffering, that although your presence
may be hidden from us, you are there, with power to bring comfort and
healing of body, mind and spirit.

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Lord Jesus, we pray for those who are now with you in your eternal glory.
As we rejoice in the fellowship of those who now see the fullness of your
glory, be with us in our journey and transform our lives with the promise
that you will grant us, with them, a share in your eternal kingdom.
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 those who 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.
Hymn 7 (omit verse 5) Tune Westminster

We pray together
Heavenly Father, as we worship you,
We pray for your light to shine upon us.
Brighten our daily lives with your holy love,
speak to us your transforming truth.
Then, grant us grace
to live every moment
changed by such glory

to live with hope and courage and love
reflecting the life of Jesus,
through whom your glory shines.
Amen.
The Blessing
May the Father shine the light of glory into your hearts
may Christ be with you and never leave you
may the Spirit renew the image of God within you
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always.
Amen.
The Parish of Saint Catherine & Saint James with Saint Audoen
Canon Mark Gardner Tel: 01 454 2274 Mobile 087 266 0228
Email: markgardner300@gmail.com
Diocesan Lay Reader: James Kilbey Mobile 086 265 7616
Parish Reader: Cletus Ogbata
Organist: Olesia Borsuk
Review Distribution: Margery Bell Tel: 01 4542067
Website: mediumturquoise-mosquito-340469.hostingersite.com
St Audoen’s Cornmarket, 10.00 Eucharist (every Sunday). Organist, Olesia Borsuk. Access through St
Audoen’s Park. Cars may be parked between Francis Street and Christ Church.
St Catherine & St James, Donore Avenue, 11.30 Service of the Word (Eucharist on the first Sunday of the
month). Organist, Olesia Borsuk. Cars may be parked in the Churchyard.
St. Audoen’s Society of Bellringers
Annual General Meeting Saturday 26 April 2025. Chair Robert MacDonald. Jason Lynam, Secretary, Liz
Harper, Treasurer, Clodagh Canavan, William Bosworth, Adam Walsh, Julian West, Andre, Nolan, Gillian
Lynch, Emma Lokko, Derek McEndoo, Kathleen McEndoo, Maurice O’Reilly, John McDonagh, and Gary
Branigan. Apologies, Mark D Gardner, Joe Kealy, Lesley Hayes, Kate Nugent, Michael McFarland
Campbell, and Sean Waldron.
Nolan Shield
RMacD spoke about the purpose of the award and the reason for its introduction to commemorate the late
Teresa Nolan. The Committee felt it a fitting tribute to present it to Robert to honour the end of his tenure as
Ringing Master and his commitment to St. Audoen’s.
RMacD mentioned the worthy nomination of the St. Audoen’s Team who competed for the first time (in
any competition) at the Boyne Cup coming in second place, losing out by only one point.

Date of Next AGM

It was agreed the next AGM will be held on Saturday 25 April 2026.