Compline (night prayer) - Sunday,31 October 2021

We remember our place in the company of saints and go to bed thankful for the price paid for us.

Compline (night prayer) - Friday, 29 October 2021

As we go to our beds may we, enfolded in your love and the peace of Your presence,
sleep and tomorrow wake to a new day of blessings and joy given and received. Amen.

 

 The image is that of James Hannington, martyred in 1885

Today the Church celebrates: James Hannington

Today the Church celebrates the life, ministry and martyrdom of James Hannington and other Christians:

James Hannington was born in 1847 of a Congregationalist family but he became an Anglican before going up to Oxford.

He was ordained and, after serving a curacy for five years, went with the Church Missionary Society to Uganda. He was consecrated bishop for that part of Africa in 1884 and a year later began a safari inland from Mombasa, together with other European and indigenous Christians.

The ruler of the Buganda, Mwanga, who despised Christians because they refused to condone his moral turpitude, seized the whole party, tortured them for several days and then had them butchered to death on this day in 1885.

Compline (night prayer) - Thursday, 28 October 2021

The images of Simon and Jude serve this night to remind us how ordinary people in the company of Christ and filled with God's Holy Spirit can do extraordinary things. Give us rest and tomorrow give us passion to reach the lost we pray.

Compline (night prayer) - Wednesday, 27 October 2021

Jesus said,
“I leave you with a gift that is peace of mind and heart; a gift the world can neither give nor understand - so do not be troubled or afraid." Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Tuesday, 26 October 2021

The images are those of Cedd and Alfred the Great. Two men who served the kingdom of God and an earthly kingdom. May we, tomorrow, serve heaven and earth with common sense and mercy a forethought. Amen.

Today the Church celebrates the life and martyrdom of Crispin and Crispian

Today the Church celebrates the sacrifice of Crispin and Crispinian:

Crispin and Crispinian were shoemakers and lived in the third century. They are reputed to have preached the Christian faith in Gaul whilst exercising their trade and so, like St Paul earning his living as a tent-maker, were no drain on the Christian community.

They were put to death for their faith at the beginning of the persecutions of Diocletian and died in about the year 287 in Rome.

Today the Church celebrates the life and ministry of Alfred the Great and Cedd

Today the Church celebrates the life and ministry of Alfred the Great and Cedd:

Alfred was born in the year 849, Alfred was the king of the West Saxons who effectively brought to an end the constant threat of Danish dominion in the British Isles.

He came to the throne at the age of twenty-two, and, after establishing peace, set about bringing stability to both Church and State. He gave half of his income to founding religious houses which themselves acted as Christian centres for education, care of the sick and poor and respite for travellers.

He was a daily attender at mass and himself translated many works into the vernacular. He evolved a legal code based on common sense and Christian mercy. His whole life was marked by the compassion of Christ. He died on this day in the year 899. 

Cedd was born in Northumbria in the late sixth century and joined the monastery of Lindisfarne where he served many years. When King Peada of the Middle Angles became a Christian, Cedd was sent with three other priests to preach the gospel in this new territory.

Some time later, King Sigebert of the East Saxons was converted and Cedd, now an experienced missionary, went with another priest to Essex. After travelling through the region they reported back to Lindisfarne where Cedd was consecrated bishop for the East Saxons. He returned to Essex to continue his work, building churches, two monasteries, and ordaining deacons and priests. While on a visit to Northumbria he founded his third monastery, at Lastingham, where he died of fever in 664 after attending the Synod of Whitby.

Compline (night prayer) - Monday, 25 October 2021

The images of Crispin and Crispinian remind us how the blood of the martyrs has sown seeds in the Church. We remember, respect and give thanks for lives lived and given as a witness to their love of God.

Compline (night prayer) - Sunday, 24 October 2021

You, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name;
leave us not, O Lord our God! Jeremiah 14.9

We greet the night confident in the love and grace of God, from which nothing can remove us.

Compline (night prayer) - Saturday, 23 October 2021

Stay with us, O God, this night, so that by your strength we may rise with the new day to rejoice in the resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Friday, 22 October 2021

With the words of Psalm 139 ringing in our ears, the reality that wherever we are,
God is with us, takes us to our beds and sleep.
May we rise to a new day of blessing given and received. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Thursday, 21 October 2021

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep this night,

and give your angels charge over those who sleep.

Tend the sick, give rest to the weary, sustain the dying, 

calm the suffering, and pity the distressed; all for your love's sake, O Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

The image is a depiction of the Archangel Michael ('he who is as God')

Compline (night prayer) - Wednesday, 20 October 2021

Bringing the day to a close, we put our lives and our trust in the hands of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, confident in the steadfast love and certain hope we find there.

Compline (night prayer) - Tuesday, 19 October 2021

As we come to the close of the day, we reflect on what has been; we call to mind the word of God as we have heard it today, and ask that it might dwell richly within us.

The image is that of Henry Martyn

Henry Martyn

Today the Chjurch celebrates the life and ministry of Henry Martyn

Born in Truro in 1781, Henry Martyn went up to Cambridge at the age of sixteen. He became an avowed evangelical and his friendship with Charles Simeon led to his interest in missionary work.

In 1805, he left for Calcutta as a chaplain to the East India Company. The expectation was that he would minister to the British expatriate community, not to the indigenous peoples; in fact, there was a constant fear of insurrection and even the recitation of Magnificat at Evensong was forbidden, lest ‘putting down the mighty from their seat’ should incite the natives.

Henry set about learning the local languages and then supervised the translation of the New Testament first into Hindustani and then into Persian and Arabic, as well as preaching and teaching in mission schools.

He went to Persia to continue the work but, suffering from tuberculosis, he died in Armenia on this day in 1812.

Compline (night prayer) - Monday, 18 October 2021

Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The image is that of Luke the Evangelist

Luke the Evangelist - 18 October 2021

Today the Church celebrates the life and ministry of Luke the Evangelist

Luke was a dear friend of the apostle Paul, and is mentioned by him three times in his Letters.

Paul describes him as ‘the beloved physician’ and, in his second Letter to Timothy, as his only companion in prison.

He is believed to be the author of two books of the New Testament, firstly the gospel which stands in his name and also the Acts of the Apostles.

Luke’s narrative of the life of Christ has a pictorial quality and shows the sequential pattern from the nativity through to the death and resurrection. The developed sense of theology that comes over in Paul’s writings is virtually unknown in those of Luke but, as a Gentile, Luke makes clear that the good news of salvation is for all, regardless of gender, social position or nationality.

Compline (night -prayer) - Sunday, 17 October 2021

Confident in the eternal loving presence of our God, we place ourselves in his hands.

Compline (night prayer) - Saturday, 16 October 2021

The images of Reformation martyrs Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer before us,
we reflect on them, and a politician who became a martyr for the cause of democracy.
Lord this night grant us the courage to choose peace and the way of love and life in Christ. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Friday, 15 October 2021

God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 1 Thessalonians 5.9,10

We pray for the repose of Sir David Amess MP - may he rest in peace and rise in glory.

The image is that of Teresa of Avila

Compline (night prayer) - Thursday, 14 October 2021

As we go to our beds, may we find rest in Christ.

As we awake, may we rise to a new day in which to revel in God's love and the opportunity to bless all we meet in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Wednesday, 13 October 2021

Sovereign God, who set your servant Edward upon the throne of an earthly kingdom
and inspired him with zeal for the kingdom of heaven:
grant that we may so confess the faith of Christ by word and deed,
that we, with all your saints, may inherit your eternal glory. Amen.

The image is that of Edward the Confessor

Compline (night prayer) - Monday, 11 October 2021

Lord we give You thanks for this day - may we be renewed by sleep and strengthened to make the Good News of Your love made flesh known by acts of kindness, love and service to all we meet tomorrow. Amen.

The images are Ethelburga and James the Deacon

Compline (night prayer) - Sunday, 10 October 2021

Today we've celebrated the harvest, rejoiced in our patron (Francis) Communion
and reflected on the annual thanksgiving for our food and the daily spiritual harvest of new birth in Christ. Hallelujah!

The image is 'Harvesters' by Anna Ancher

Compline (night prayer) - Saturday 9 October 2021

As tomorrow we celebrate harvest,
tonight we pray for those who labour to grow, produce, deliver and sell.
May we, with so much, never lose sight of those with so very little across our world. Amen.

 

The Image is Peter Breugel's 'The harvesters'.

Compline (night prayer) - Friday, 8 October 2021

Reflecting on the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, we set our faces towards the Light of Christ and ask that he might shine in us and through us to bring hope and comfort to others.

Compline (night prayer) - Thursday, 7 October 2021

Lord grant us a quiet night that we might be restored, renewed and rise with Your life within us in all its fullness.

The image is Rublev's Trinity

Compline (night prayer) - Wednesday, 6 October 2021

We pray this night for those who make the written word of God accessible in the language of others - for signers and those who create in Braille - may we be inspired to learn Your word O Lord. Amen.

The image is that of William Tyndale.

Compline (night prayer) - Tuesday, 5 October 2021

Tonight we rejoice in the living Word (Logos) made flesh and the written word (logos) that we have through the mission of men like Tyndale (whom we celebrate tomorrow). May we walk with Christ, read the word and live a life of true believers. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Sunday, 3 October 2021

All have gone off the right path and, through our sinful nature, found ourselves on the 'scenic route'.

But You, O Lord, restore the years the Locusts have eaten and put us on the right path.

We love You Lord. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Saturday 2 October 2021

A simple, gentle, reflection and closing of the day as we lay all that has been down before the lord, and heading for our beds, look towards the mini-Easter that is Sunday.
Lord be with us this night we pray. Amen.

Compline (night prayer) - Friday, 1 October 2021

With the images of Remegius (533) and the Earl of Shaftesbury before us - two men from different times and with different ministry - both serving God and making a difference We reflect on our calling to do likewise.