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INTRO 鈥� TONY MILES听 听 听

Good morning, and welcome to Methodist Central Hall, Westminster 鈥� situated opposite the Houses of Parliament and just across the road from Westminster Abbey.听 I鈥檓 Tony Miles, the Superintendent Minister here.

Today, we鈥檙e marking the 350th Anniversary of the birth of the great hymnwriter, Isaac Watts听 revolutionised hymn writing.听 He鈥檚 credited with around 600 pieces and his compositions are characterized by their emotional depth and theological richness.听

We begin this act of worship by singing one of Isaac Watts鈥� best-known hymns, 鈥楥ome let us join our cheerful songs with angels around the throne鈥�.

HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥楥ome Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Tune: Nativity (Henry Lahee)

OPENING PRAYERS 鈥� LANSFORD PENN-TIMITY听听听

Let us pray,

Loving God, we听turn听to you with joyful hearts to sing your praise.

Thank you for your servant, Isaac Watts, whose Hymns reflect your glory, so we too can praise you using his words today.

As Watts echoed from the Psalms,

"This is the day the Lord has made;听

we will rejoice and be glad in it."

We thank You for each new day, a precious gift from your hand,

filled with opportunities to experience your grace and mercy.

We are aware of our听shortcomings.

Lord, forgive听our听reluctance to express gratitude for the daily bread and blessings you freely give.

Forgive our feeble faith and our failure to love you and our neighbours as we should.

May our worship be a true reflection of our love and devotion to You.

Strengthen those who are weary,

comfort those who are hurting,

and bring peace to those who are troubled.

May听we know your听transforming presence among us,

enabling us to worship you in spirit and truth

础尘别苍.听

Our next Isaac Watts hymn is usually associated with Advent and Christmas, although he didn鈥檛 originally intend this to be a carol. In fact, there鈥檚 no mention of Jesus鈥� birth story.听 Rather, it alludes to the future return of听Christ听in glory

鈥楯oy to the world, the Lord is come!鈥�

HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥楯oy to the world鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 听 听Tune: Antioch (Handel)

DRAMA 1 鈥� TONY JASPER

The Southampton born famed hymn writer Dr Isaac Watts has died at the age 74.听 A crowd is gathering outside the house where he lives in London鈥檚 Stoke Newington.听

This is a man who听in his life has been seen as preacher, educationalist and poet.听 More so,听Dr Watts has been the instigator of what we call 鈥檛he hymn鈥�

He is a听prolific writer of hymns for the churches and their worship.听听

One of the first writers of hymns for children.

Every now and then the crowd in Stoke Newington听breaks out in singing some of his best known, and especially one that will go on to be sung at national occasions. 鈥極 God Our Help In Ages Past.鈥�

He has听ministered for many years at the renowned听independent Chapel in Mark Lane. London.听 Indeed 鈥� ill health caused him to leave at the age of 38.听

He will be buried in the Puritan Burial ground in Bunhill Fields in central London, will have a statue erected in Southampton, while a monument stands in his memory in Westminster Abbey.听 Interestingly, death and the fleeting nature of life is found in many of his hymn lyrics.听 The most popular听are 鈥楾here is a Land of Pure Delight鈥� and more so, 鈥業鈥檒l Praise My Maker While I鈥檝e Breath鈥�, reminding Christians that their praise is eternal 鈥�

HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥業鈥檒l Praise My Maker While I鈥檝e Breath.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 (Tune: Monmouth)

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON 鈥� OLLIE MCEWEN 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听

Psalm 150 (NIV UK Translation)

Read by Ollie McEwen, Local Preacher

Praise the听Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

听听听听praise him in his mighty heavens.

2听Praise him for his acts of power;

听听听听praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3听Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

听听听听praise him with the harp and lyre,

4听praise him with tambourine and dancing,

听听听听praise him with the strings and pipe,

5听praise him with the clash of cymbals,

听听听听praise him with resounding cymbals.

6听Let everything that has breath praise the听Lord.

听

This is the word of the Lord

THANKS BE TO GOD

DRAMA 2 - TONY JASPER听 听 听 听 听 听听

Some interesting facts on Isaac Watts:听 Astonishing to the modern ear, he began learning Latin at the age of four鈥� 鈥� Greek when nine, Hebrew at 13.

His aim was one of writing for everyone.听 He paraphrased God鈥檚 word rather than translated 鈥� at听best his work lit up the Psalms with Gospel meaning.

To his hymn compositions he brought simplicity, clarity, dignity. Rich ideas about the basic matters of life and death.

Watts听was fascinated by the cross and the whole concept of what is termed 鈥榯he atonement鈥�, what is seen as the point and听purpose of Christ鈥檚 death.

听 鈥渙f course giving rise probably to his听greatest hymn: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross鈥�.

Not surprisingly, Watts鈥� hymns were having an impact beyond the church pews.听听 There鈥檚 a story told by the famous听writer听Philip Doddridge about a Colonel James Gardiner.听 This brave soldier achieved notice by singing Watts as he went about his military duty.听 He said that singing Watts made the evil spirits flee.

听His unwavering dedication to theological accuracy and poetic excellence set a new standard for hymn writing, inspiring future generations of composers and worship leaders.听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听

HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥楯esus shall reign where鈥檈r the sun鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 (Tune: Truro)

LESSON 鈥� JENI LLEGO 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听

1 Corinthians 1:18-21 (NIV UK Translation)

Read by Jeni Llego

This morning鈥檚 New Testament lesson is taken from the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 18-21.

Saint Paul writes,

鈥楩or the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 听For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;

the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

听Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 听For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.'

This is the word of the Lord

THANKS BE TO GOD

INTRO - GERARD BROOKS 听听听听听听听听听听 听

The American composer Mark Hayes has written a good number of arrangements of hymns and worship songs.听 He often uses the original tunes, adding a measure of Hollywood glamour to the harmonies!听 鈥楾he Mighty Power of God鈥� is one of his original compositions, and in it he sets Isaac Watts鈥� words in his own ebullient style, even adding a few complementary lyrics of his own!

CHOIR ANTHEM听 听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥楾he Mighty Power of God鈥�

听听听听听听 Arr. Mark Hayes

SERMON 鈥� TONY MILES

A study of pop music听

听and number 1 hits over the last 7 decades,

听听 concluded that, unsurprisingly,听

听听听听 75% of songs were about romantic love and heartbreak.

It鈥檚 rare for church music to top the charts,

听but it has happened!

Judy Collins had a wonderful vocal verison of John Newton鈥檚 Amazing Grace

听 In 1972 the same hymn tune stayed at No.1 for five weeks.

听听听听 featuring the pipes, drums and Military Band

听 听 听of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

Well, although hymns haven鈥檛 often been turned into records,

听or made fortunes for their composers, they were once popular!

听 Isaac Watts鈥� wrote over 600 hymns and

听听 once dominated the UK church in the first half of the 18th Century,听听

The author, Elsie Houghton, wrote:

鈥�(Watts鈥�) crowning achievement was 鈥� 鈥� persuading the Church to accept hymns in its worship 鈥� He broke the exclusive domination of the psalms. He vindicated the title of the gospel to a place in the praise of the Christian church鈥�.

Isaac Watts certainly defended the Christian faith to his generation,

听 especially when it was being challenged.

听听听 He wanted people to learn and understand too, including children:

听听听听听 reminding them of God鈥檚 promises in the Bible;听听听听听听听

听听听听听听听 praising God for the work of his Son;

听听听听听听听听听 celebrating the forgiveness of sins

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 and salvation through the Cross.

Watts鈥� hymns were popular because many had a strong beginning,

听听听听 they centred on one key theme,

听听听听听听听听 and progressed to a decisive ending.

Watts wanted worship to be alive

听 and that tongues might be released in soulful and heartfelt worship.

鈥榃hen I survey the wondrous cross,

on which the Prince of Glory died,

my richest gain I count but loss,

and pour contempt on all my pride.鈥�

The poet and cultural critic, Matthew Arnold,

听听 considered this to be,

听听听听听 鈥渙ne of the finest hymns in the English language鈥�.

I find this hymn stimulates the mind,

听听 touches the heart,

听听听听听 and stirs the soul.

For me, this hymn begins by taking the focus away from myself,

听 and helps me turn towards Jesus鈥� suffering and sacrifice.

听听听听听 It reminds me that what Jesus did out of love,

听听听听听听听听听听 was intensely personal and costly.

The hymn is based on Galatians chapter 6 and verse 14:

听听 "But God forbid that I should boast,

听听听听听 save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.鈥�

The only thing I should ever boast about as a Christian,

听 is God鈥檚 mercy and saving love

- for me, and for ALL, through his Son, Jesus!

鈥楽ee from His head,

His hands, his feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did 鈥榚re such love and sorrow meet

And thorns composed so rich a crown.鈥�

And as we celebrate this 350th anniversary,

听 we remember all who have found new life through singing Watts鈥� hymns;

听听听 who鈥檝e been moved by the clarity of the Gospel message,

听听听听听听听听听听听听听 and renewed in faith and service.

Isaac Watts鈥� name may not be well known outside the Christian church,听听

听听 and the hymn we鈥檙e about to sing may not ever entered the pop charts,

听听听听听听 but I thank God for hymnwriters like Watts.

听听听听听听听听 Passionate Christians who have helped keep faith alive.

I once remember singing this hymn,

听when someone came forward to the front of the church.

听听 They carried a heavy bag on their shoulder

听听听听听 and gradually made their way to the foot of a cross.听

听听听听听听听听 They unloaded their bag

听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥� representing their sin, their shame, their hurt and despair.听听听听

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 As they placed it at the base of the Cross,

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 they walked away forgiven,

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 for all they had put down,

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 they lifted their arms in praise as we sang:

鈥榃ere the whole realm of nature mine,

that were an offering far too small;

love so amazing, so divine,

demands my soul, my life, my all.鈥櫶� 听

Thank God for Jesus!

听听听 Thank God for Isaac Watts too.听听 Amen.

HYMN听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥榃hen I survey the wondrous cross, 鈥︹��

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 (Tune: Rockingham (Communion) )

INTRO - TONY MILES

Our prayers for ourselves and others are led by two members of our ministerial team here at Methodist Central Hall Westminster, Deacon Ali McMillan and Revd Dr Joyce Popoola.听 We begin and end with words written by Isaac Watts.

BIDDING PRAYERS FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS

Deacon Ali McMillan and

Revd Dr Joyce Popoola

Revd Dr Joyce:听 Let us pray:

听听听听听听 O God, our help in ages past,

听听听听听听 our hope for years to come,

听听听听听听 be thou our guard, while life shall last,

听听听听听听 and our eternal home

Deacon Ali:听听听听听听听听 Where greed and complacency have wounded your

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 creation:听 Pour out your healing and peace.

Revd Dr Joyce: Where suffering and oppression have overpowered听

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 justice:听 Bring renewal and restoration.

Deacon Ali:听听听听听听听听 Where people are lonely, unwell and fearful:

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Surround them with your love and healing.

Revd Dr Joyce: Where death is near:

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Bring comfort to the grieving and peace to the dying.

Deacon Ali:听听听听听听听听 O God, our help in ages past,

听听听听听听 our hope for years to come,

听听听听听听 be thou our guard, while life shall last,

听听听听听听 and our eternal home.

听听听听听听 We bring our prayers in Jesus Name,

听听听听听听 And join together in saying the Lord鈥檚 Prayer:

DEACON ALI & ALL听 听 听 听 听

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN,

hallowed be your Name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.听 Amen.

INTRO 鈥� TONY MILES听听听听听

Many will associate our final hymn with state occasions.听 It was sung at the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill and is used each year at the National Service of Remembrance.听 Isaac Watts based the hymn on first verses of Psalm 90, and he reminds us of the frailty of humanity, yet we have an everlasting God, who can be our shelter in life鈥檚 storms, and our eternal home.

HYMN听听 鈥極 God, our help in ages past, 鈥︹�櫶� 听(Tune: St. Anne)

BENEDICTION - TONY

Everlasting God, you blessed your servant Isaac Watts with the gifts and inspiration to write psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.听

We pray for all who resource worship today.

Despite life鈥檚 challenges,

may your Holy Spirit keep us faithful

and continue to inspire your Church;

and may our offerings of praise and thanksgiving,

always be in Spirit and Truth!

And so may the blessing of God Almighty,

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be with us all, and those we love,

this day and for evermore.听 AMEN.

ORGAN VOLUNTARY:听 St. Anne Fugue听听

听听听 (J.S. Bach)

听