主播大秀

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INTRODUCTION & WELCOME: PETER GREEN (EXECUTIVE HEAD MASTER)听

Good morning and welcome to Rugby School.听听 I鈥檓 Peter Green, Executive Head Master.听 Here in the Chapel, the heart of the school, our community of 860 students, with their teachers, gathers regularly for worship and reflection - to pray and to sing, to be challenged and inspired.听听 One of the finest examples of teamwork that our students take part in is Choral singing.听 The choir which leads our worship today includes Naomi, 2022鈥檚 主播大秀 young chorister of the year.听

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You join us at the beginning of a new term.听 As ever, there is much to look forward to in the weeks ahead 鈥� including the prospect of public exams for many.听 And it鈥檚 a special year for us as we celebrate the bicentenary of that day in 1823 when one of our pupils, William Webb Ellis, took a football in his arms and ran with it, giving the world the game of Rugby Football.听 Throughout the year we鈥檙e hosting a series of tournaments and celebrations for the rugby-playing family, young and old, male and female, local, national and international.听

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Easter, of course, falls during the school holidays.听 So it鈥檚 our custom here to celebrate in two stages.听 At the end of the Spring term, we commemorate the crucifixion.听 Last term ended right here in this chapel as we read the stories of Jesus鈥� death, we blew out the candles, veiled the cross and left the chapel in darkness.听

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Now, as we throw ourselves into the activities of a busy boarding school, we pause for a while to celebrate together.听 And where last term ended, this new term begins - back here in the chapel as we restore its light and life, and celebrate the good news of resurrection - new life, new hope, a new future.听

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LISA GREATWOOD:听

Alleluia!听 Christ is risen!听

ALL: He is risen indeed!听 Alleluia!听

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OPENING HYMN Crown him with many crowns (with brass)听

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听Opening prayers听

LISA: Blessed are you, Lord our God, redeemer and king of all; to you be glory and praise for ever!听

From the waters of chaos you drew forth the world, and, in your great love, made us in your image.听听听

Now, through the deep waters of death you have brought your people to new birth, raising your Son to life in triumph.听

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May we, the first fruits of your new creation, rejoice in this new day, and may the light of Christ dawn in our hearts as we bring our sacrifice of thanks and praise to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:听

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ALL: Blessed be God for ever!听

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LISA: The choir, with Young Chorister of the Year Naomi, as soloist, now sings one of the pieces she performed in that competition, Bob Chilcott鈥檚 setting of the ancient prayer, 鈥淏e thou my vision鈥�:听

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MUSIC: Chilcott be thou my vision听听

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LISA: The life and work of Jesus, his teaching and example, and in particular his death and resurrection, revealed to the world a whole new way for God鈥檚 people to be in relationship with him.听 To understand just how revolutionary this is, it鈥檚 good to remind ourselves of some of the ways in which people used to approach God before the time of Christ.听 Our first Bible reading comes from the letter to the Hebrews, and describes some of the elaborate procedures for worship in Old Testament times.听 It鈥檚 read for us by Gareth Parker-Jones, Head Master.听

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READER GARETH PARKER-JONES, HEAD MASTER:听

Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.鈥�2鈥疉 tabernacle鈥痺as set up. In its first room were the lampstand鈥痑nd the table鈥痺ith its consecrated bread;鈥痶his was called the Holy Place.鈥�3鈥疊ehind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,鈥�4鈥痺hich had the golden altar of incense鈥痑nd the gold-covered ark of the covenant.鈥�听

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6鈥疻hen everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly鈥痠nto the outer room to carry on their ministry.鈥�7鈥疊ut only the high priest entered鈥痶he inner room,鈥痑nd that only once a year,鈥痑nd never without blood,鈥痺hich he offered for himself鈥痑nd for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.鈥�8鈥疶he Holy Spirit was showing鈥痓y this that the way鈥痠nto the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.鈥�9鈥疶his is an illustration鈥痜or the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered鈥痺ere not able to clear the conscience鈥痮f the worshiper.鈥�10鈥疶hey are only a matter of food鈥痑nd drink鈥痑nd various ceremonial washings鈥攅xternal regulations鈥痑pplying until the time of the new order.听

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11鈥疊ut when Christ came as high priest鈥痮f the good things that are now already here,[]鈥痟e went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle鈥痶hat is not made with human hands,鈥痶hat is to say, is not a part of this creation.鈥�12鈥疕e did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;鈥痓ut he entered the Most Holy Place鈥痮nce for all鈥痓y his own blood,鈥痶hus obtaining[]鈥痚ternal redemption.鈥�13鈥疶he blood of goats and bulls鈥痑nd the ashes of a heifer鈥痵prinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.鈥�14鈥疕ow much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit鈥痮ffered himself鈥痷nblemished to God, cleanse our consciences鈥痜rom acts that lead to death,[]鈥痵o that we may serve the living God!听

Hebrews 9:1-3, 6-14听

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LISA: One of our sixth form pupils, Jimmy Scanlon, is this year鈥檚 Head of School.听 He鈥檚 also a composer, and we鈥檙e now going to hear his setting of Ave Maria:听

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MUSIC: Ave Maria by Jimmy Scanlon听

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INTERCESSIONS听

READER 鈥� ANNIE:听听

Let us pray听

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God of life, who raised your Son from death in triumph, you have given us eyes to see and minds to understand.听 Help us to grasp the Easter message in all its wonder; to know in our minds and to feel in our hearts the truth of Jesus risen; and so, each day, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and to serve you with a clear conscience.听听听

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Lord, in your mercy听

ALL:听听 Hear our prayer听

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READER - FREDDIE:听听

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God of all creation, you have given the rules by which the world turns and the flowers grow, the wonders of science and nature that humankind will spend millennia discovering and exploring. And you have taught humankind how to live together in this world that you have made.听 Forgive the disobedience which makes us put our own desires above your commandments.听 Hear our prayer for our rulers: for the King and parliament, and for those who make the laws that govern our daily life, that we may be wisely and righteously led.听 Comfort your people who live under unjust laws, and strengthen those who are working for justice and the freedom of all.听

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Lord, in your mercy听

ALL:听听 Hear our prayer听

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READER - ELSA:听听

God of peace, we pray for the world with all its troubles.听 For the people of Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Northern Ireland and Israel and all whose lives are affected by war and unrest.听 For those who have been driven from their homes, and those who feel that they have no choice but to leave their home to seek a better life elsewhere.听 We pray for the homeless and for refugees; for people living in lands where disease and drought have taken the lives of many; and for all who are persecuted for their beliefs.听

Almighty God, have mercy on all who, by hurting and harming one another, insult you, who created us in your image.听听听

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Lord, in your mercy听

ALL:听听 Hear our prayer听

READER - MILO:听听

God of all comfort, we pray for those who are suffering today.听 We remember those among our own friends and family who are unwell, and we think of people we know who are going through difficult times; the bereaved and the lonely, the lost and the confused.听 We pray for those who are in hospital, for the medical staff who care for them, and for those who anxiously watch beside them.听

As this new academic year begins, we pray for this and every place of education, that they may be places of happiness and purpose, where the acquisition of knowledge goes hand in hand with the growth of wisdom, and where pupils develop the willingness to serve and the courage to question.听

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Lord, in your mercy听

ALL:听听 Hear our prayer听

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LISA: Through the ages people have gone looking for Jesus.听 Some have found him; some are searching still.听 As we heard in the reading, even those closest to him didn鈥檛 see the full picture.听 Did even Mary his mother understand the mystery, the glory, the majesty of this man?听 We鈥檒l hear again from 主播大秀 Chorister of the Year Naomi Simon, with the chapel choir, singing 鈥淢ary did you know鈥�.听听听

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MUSIC Mary did you know?听

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LISA: Our second Bible reading comes from Mark鈥檚 Gospel.听 The women come to the tomb - but they find it empty, with no sign of Jesus.听 A heavenly messenger tells them the glorious news that Jesus has risen from the dead.听 But 鈥� for the time being at least 鈥� their confusion and fear prevent them from understanding.

Reader - LOUISA:听

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices鈥痵o that they might go to anoint Jesus鈥� body.鈥�2鈥疺ery early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb鈥�3鈥痑nd they asked each other, 鈥淲ho will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?鈥澨�

4鈥疊ut when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.鈥�5鈥疉s they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe鈥痵itting on the right side, and they were alarmed.听

6鈥�鈥淒on鈥檛 be alarmed,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,鈥痺ho was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.鈥�7鈥疊ut go, tell his disciples and Peter, 鈥楬e is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,鈥痡ust as he told you.鈥欌�澨�

8鈥疶rembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.听

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Mark 16:1-8听

Sermon - The Chaplain - REV RICHARD HORNER听

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And that鈥檚 where it ends.听 At least, in the account of Jesus鈥檚 life according to Mark, that鈥檚 the end of the document.听 In the three other gospels, Matthew鈥檚, Luke鈥檚 and John鈥檚, the books end with Jesus, risen from death, appearing, alive, to his disciples, who are filled with wonder and joy and go out to share the good news with the world.听 But Mark鈥檚 ending, by contrast, is almost downbeat.听 The women come to the tomb to tend to Jesus鈥� body; they find the tomb open and a man sitting there who tells them that Jesus has risen - but that he鈥檚 not here; they should go back to Galilee, where they will find him.听 The women depart, afraid.听 The end.听听听

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Or is it the end?听听 Why would we have that particular version for our Easter reading?听 And what was Mark thinking when he wrote it down?听听听

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Well, the explanation depends on understanding one particular word - Galilee.听 Galilee was the region in the North of Judea from which Jesus and his disciples came.听 There in Galilee was Nazareth, the town where Jesus spent thirty years of his life; Capernaum, where he began his public work; and the lakeshore where he chose his disciples from among the normal everyday working men, farmers and fishermen who lived in the area.听听

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For just the last week of his life, though, Jesus came to Jerusalem, the capital city.听 Jerusalem stood for politics, wealth, power, the pomp and hypocrisy of the temple, and the metropolitan elite who felt themselves rather superior, rather special.听 There in Jerusalem was where Jesus had come into the final conflict with the authorities, where he had been betrayed, tried and beaten, and there, beside the city walls of Jerusalem was where Jesus had died and there was the empty tomb.听

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Galilee was just 70 miles away but it was another world 鈥� a world of ordinary everyday people, going about their lives and making their living, ploughing their land, casting their fishing nets, greeting their friends in the villages and the fields, eating with their families, marrying their husbands and wives, raising their children, living, dying, loving, sometimes struggling, sometimes rejoicing 鈥� normal life, in other words, everyday life.听

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And there, said the messenger at the tomb, is where you will meet him.听 There in Galilee, which stands for normality, for everyday life.听 And so in a strange way this apparently flat conclusion is my favourite Gospel ending, because it tells the followers of Jesus where they will meet him.听 And that鈥檚 me, and if you will, that鈥檚 you too.听

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Galilee stands for the daily round of life.听 Here in our school, we鈥檙e about to embark upon another round of our school life, another term.听 Going about our days, ploughing our text books and casting our essays, greeting our friends in the classrooms and on the playing fields, eating and drinking, living and loving, sometimes struggling and sometimes rejoicing.听 This is Galilee, and here we will meet him.听听听

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We won鈥檛 be interrupted in the middle of a Physics test by Jesus suddenly appearing in the classroom.听 You鈥檙e not going to walk round the corner of your street and see Jesus standing there announcing 鈥淚鈥檝e risen from the dead!鈥澨� But open your eyes and open your hearts and expect to see him in the joys of the daily round.听 In every intimation of love and every manifestation of beauty.听 In the faces and the eyes of others, in the trivial shapes of our common life, in friendship and achievement, in hard work and success - and yes, you will find him in sadness too and grief, and in failure and disappointment, for this is Galilee, and here you will meet him.听

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He has gone ahead of you.听 Go and seek him, he who has come to seek you, and rejoice, this joyful Eastertide.听

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MUSIC: This Joyful Eastertide 鈥� Matthew Owens听

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LISA:听

We join our prayers with the unspoken prayers of our hearts, and with the prayers of God鈥檚 people throughout the world, as we say the Lord鈥檚 Prayer together:听

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Our Father,听

Who art in heaven,听

Hallowed be thy name.听

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.听

Give us this day our daily bread,听听

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.听

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.听

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,听

For ever and ever,听

Amen听听听

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In the spirit of Easter, the choir sings the words of the ancient prayer of joy and praise, the Te Deum.听 The music is by Charles Stanford.听 鈥淲e praise you, O God; we acknowledge you to be the Lord鈥�.听

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听MUSIC:听

Stanford Te Deum in Bb (with Timps)听听

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The Blessing听

REV RICHARD HORNER听

May God the Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be upon you this day and for ever more.听 Amen.听听听

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Organ voluntary: 鈥淔lourish for an occasion鈥� 鈥� Wm Harris听听

Played by Ian Wicks, Head of Keyboard听听

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