I the Lord of sea and sky.  I have heard my people's cry,  

all who dwell in dark and sin my hand will save. 

I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright,  

who will bear my light to them, whom shall I send? 

Here I am Lord, is it I Lord?  

I have heard you calling in the night.  

I will go Lord if you need me  

I will hold your people in my heart. 

I the Lord of snow and rain.   I have borne my people's pain.  

I have wept for love of them, they turn away, 

I will break their hearts of stone,  

give them hearts for love alone.  

I will speak my word to them whom shall I send? 

I the Lord of wind and flame.  I will tend the poor and lame.  

I will set a feast for them, my hand will save. 

Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied.  

I will give my life to them, whom shall I send ? 

Offertory

Blessed are you Lord, God of all creation, 

thanks to your goodness  

this bread we offer. 

Fruit of the earth, work of your hands, 

it will become the bread of life. 

Blessed be God, Blessed be God 

Blessed be God, forever, Amen.    

Blessed are you Lord God of all creation 

thanks to your goodness  

this wine we offer. 

Fruit of the earth, work of your hands 

it will become the cup of life. 

St Joseph’s Church is CLOSED until further notice!

This decision has not been taken lightly. Please read the New Year Message from the Archbishop page 4.

Holy Communion outside Church

10 am Saturday

Sunday at 10.30am

To follow daily Mass  on www.churchservices.tv/birkdale

If you scroll down the page you will find the latest recording of Mass.

The angel Gabriel from heaven came, 

his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame. 

“All hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary, 

most highly favoured lady.”  Gloria! 

“For know a blessed Mother thou shalt be, 

all generations laud and honour thee, 

thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold; 

most highly favoured lady.”  Gloria! 

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head, 

“to me be as it pleaseth God,” she said. 

“My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name, 

most highly favoured lady.”  Gloria! 

How lovely on the mountains 

are the feet of him 

who brings good news, good news, 

announcing peace, 

proclaiming news of happiness: 

Our God reigns. (6) 

You watchmen, lift your voices 

joyfully as one, 

shout for your king, your king! 

See eye to eye, 

the Lord restoring Sion: 

Our God reigns.  (6) 

Wasteplaces of Jerusalem, 

break forth with joy! 

We are redeemed, redeemed. 

The Lord has saved 

and comforted his people. 

Our Gods reigns.  (6) 

Ends of the earth, 

see the salvation of our God! 

Jesus is Lord, is Lord! 

Before the nations, 

he has bared his holy arm. 

Our God reigns.  (6) 

Hail Redeemer, King divine!
Priest and Lamb, the throne is thine;
King, whose reign shall never cease,
prince of everlasting peace.

Refrain
Angels, saints and nations sing:
"Praised be Jesus Christ our King;
Lord of life, earth, sky and sea,
King of love on Calvary!" 

King, whose name creation thrills,
rule our minds, our hearts, our wills;
till in peace, each nation rings
with thy praises, King of kings.
 

King most holy, King of truth,
guide the lowly, guide the youth;
Christ thou King of glory bright,
be to us eternal light.

Shepherd-king, o'er mountains steep
homeward bring the wandering sheep;
shelter in one royal fold
states and kingdoms, new and old.
 

1.  Crown him with many crowns, 

     the Lamb upon his throne; 

     hark, how the heav'nly anthem drowns 

     all music but its own: 

     awake, my soul, and sing 

     of him who died for thee, 

     and hail him as thy matchless King 

     through all eternity. 

2.  Crown him the virgin's Son, 

     the God incarnate born, 

     whose arm those crimson trophies won 

     which now his brow adorn; 

     fruit of the mystic rose, 

     as of that rose the stem, 

     the root, whence mercy ever flows, 

     the babe of Bethlehem. 

3.  Crown him the Lord of love; 

     behold his hands and side, 

     rich wounds, yet visible above, 

     in beauty glorified: no angel in the sky 

     can fully bear that sight, 

     but downward bends his burning eye 

     at mysteries so bright. 

4.  Crown him the Lord of peace, 

     whose pow'r a sceptre sways 

     from pole to pole, 

     that wars may cease, 

     absorbed in prayer and praise: 

     his reign shall know no end, 

     and round his pierced feet 

     fair flowers of paradise extend 

     their fragrance ever sweet. 

5.  Crown him the Lord of heaven, 

     one with the Father known, 

     and the blest Spirit through him given 

     from yonder triune throne: 

     all hail, Redeemer, hail, 

     for thou hast died for me; 

     thy praise shall never, never fail 

     throughout eternity. 

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Oh Saviour, whose almighty word 

the winds and waves submissive heard. 

Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
and calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O sacred Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the waters dark and rude,
and bid its angry tumult cease,
and give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
and evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea. 

May the choirs of angels come to greet you.   

May they speed you to paradise.   

May the Lord enfold you in his mercy.   

May you find eternal life. 

Recessional Hymn:

1.   I vow to thee, my country, 

all earthly things above, 

entire and whole and perfect, 

the service of my love; 

the love that asks no question, 

the love that stands the test, 

that lays upon the altar, 

the dearest and the best; 

the love that never falters, 

the love that pays the price, 

the love that makes undaunted 

the final sacrifice. 

2.   And there’s another country, 

I’ve heard of long ago, 

most dear to them that love her, 

most great to them that know; 

we may not count her armies, 

we may not see her King; 

her fortress is a faithful heart, 

her pride is suffering; 

and soul by soul and silently 

her shining bounds increase, 

and her ways are ways of gentleness 

and all her paths are peace. 

1. By all your saints still striving, 

    for all your saints at rest, 

    your holy Name, O Jesus, 

    for evermore be blessed. 

    You rose, our King victorious, 

    that they might wear the crown 

    and ever shine in splendour 

    reflected from your throne. 

2. Apostles, prophets, martyrs, 

    and all the noble throng 

    who wear the spotless raiment 

    and raise the ceaseless song: 

    for them and those who witness 

    is only known to you. 

    By walking in their footsteps 

    we give you praise anew. 

3. Then let us praise the Father 

    and worship God the Son 

    and sing to God the Spirit, 

    eternal Three in One, 

    till all the ransomed number 

    who stand before the throne 

    ascribe all pow’r and glory 

    and praise to God alone. 

1.   For all the saints who from their labours rest, 

     who thee by faith before the world confessed, 

     thy name, O Jesus be for ever bless. 

            Alleluia! Alleluia! 

2.   Thou wast their rock, their fortress & their might; 
     thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; 
     thou in the darkness drear their one true light. 
 

3.   O blest communion! Fellowship divine! 
     We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; 
     yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. 

4.  From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, 
     through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, 
     singing to Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 

Oh, the love of my Lord is the essence
Of all that I love here on earth.
All the beauty I see, He has given to me,
And his giving is gentle as silence.

Every day, every hour, every moment,
Have been blessed by the strength of His love.
At the turn of each tide, He is there at my side,
And his touch is as gentle as silence.

There've been times when I've turned from his presence,
And I've walked other paths, other ways,
But I've called on his name, in the dark of my shame
And his mercy was gentle as silence. 

God, whose almighty word,
chaos and darkness heard,
and took their flight:
hear us, we humbly pray,
and where the gospel-day
sheds not its glorious ray,
let there be light! 

Saviour, who came to bring
on your redeeming wing
healing and sight,
health to the sick in mind,
sight to the inly blind:
O now to all mankind
let there be light! 

Spirit of truth and love,
life-giving, holy dove,
speed forth your flight!
move on the water's face
bearing the lamp of grace
and, in earth's darkest place
let there be light! 

Blessed and holy Three,
glorious Trinity,
wisdom, love, might:
boundless as ocean's tide
rolling in fullest pride
through the world far and wide,
let there be light! 

In Christ there is no East or West, 

in Him no South or North. 

But one great fellowship of love 

throughout the whole wide earth. 

In Him shall true hearts everywhere 

their high communion find. 

His service is the golden cord 

close-binding all mankind. 

Join hands, then, brothers of the faith, 

what’er your race may be; 

who serves my Father as a son 

is surely kin to me. 

In Christ now meet both East and West 

in Him meet South and North. 

All Christly souls are one in Him, 

throughout the whole wide earth. 

Come, ye thankful people, come, 

raise the song of harvest-home! 

All be safely gathered in, 

ere the winter storms begin; 

God, our maker, doth provide 

for our wants to be supplied; 

come to God’s own temple come; 

raise the song of harvest-home! 

We ourselves are God’s own field, 

fruit unto his praise to yield: 

wheat and tares together sown, 

unto joy or sorrow grown; 

first the blade and then the ear, 

then the full corn shall appear: 

grant, O harvest Lord, that we 

wholesome grain and pure may be. 

For the Lord our God shall come 

and shall take his harvest home; 

from his field shall purge away 

all that doth offend, that day, 

dive his angels charge at last 

in the fire the tares to cast, 

but the fruitful ears to store 

in his garner evermore. 

Then, thou Church triumphant, come, 

raise the song of harvest-home 

all be safely gathered in, 

free from sorrow, free from sin, 

there for ever purified 

in God’s garner to abide; 

come, then thousand angels, come, 

raise the glorious harvest-home! 

All creatures of our God and King, 

lift up your voice and with us sing 

          alleluia, alleluia! 

Thou burning sun with golden beam, 

thou silver moon with softer gleam: 

O praise him, O praise him, 

alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

Thou rushing wind that art so strong, 

ye clouds that sail in heaven along, 

          O praise him, alleluia! 

Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice, 

ye lights of evening, find a voice: 

O praise him, O praise him, 

alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. 

Praise to the holiest in the height 

and in the depths be praise, 

in all his words most wonderful 

most sure in all His ways. 

O loving wisdom of our God! 

When all was sin and shame, 

a second Adam to the fight,  

and to the rescue came. 

O wisest love!  That flesh and blood 

which did in Adam fail, 

should strive afresh against the foe, 

should strive and should prevail. 

And that a higher gift than grace 

should flesh and blood refine. 

God’s presence and his very self, 

and Essence all divine. 

O generous love!  That he who smote 

in man for man the foe, 

the double agony in man 

for man should undergo.