St Edburg's Church - Bicester

Collect of the Day

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens,
so we in heart and mind may also ascend and with him continually dwell; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

 

First Reading   Daniel 7.9-14

9As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire.  10A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.  The court sat in judgement, and the books were opened.
11I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven.  And he came to the Ancient One            and was presented before him.  14To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

 

Psalm   Psalm 47

Refrain: O sing praises to God, sing praises.

1 Clap your hands together, all you

peoples; O sing to God with shouts 

of joy.  2 For the Lord Most High is 

to be feared; he is the great King over 

all the earth.  3 He subdued the 

peoples under us and the nations 

under our feet.  4 He has chosen our 

heritage for us, the pride of Jacob, 

whom he loves.  5 God has gone up 

with a merry noise, the Lord with the 

sound of the trumpet.  6 O sing 

praises to God, sing praises; sing 

praises to our King, sing praises.

7  For God is the King of all the 

earth; sing praises with all your skill. 

8  God reigns over the nations; God 

has taken his seat upon his holy

throne.  9  The nobles of the peoples 

are gathered together with the 

people of the God of Abraham.

10 For the powers of the earth 

belong to God and he is very highly 

exalted.

Refrain: O sing praises to God, sing praises.

As Christ was raised by your glory, O Father, so may we be raised to new life and rejoice to be called your children, both now and for ever.

 

Second Reading  Acts 1.1-11

1In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’

6So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ 

 

Alternate Reading

Ephesians 1.15-end

 

 

 

Gospel  Luke 24.44-53

44Jesus said to the disciples, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God. 

 

Post Communion Prayer

God our Father,
you have raised our humanity in Christ and have fed us with the bread of heaven: mercifully grant that, nourished with such spiritual blessings, we may set our hearts in the heavenly places;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All  

 

Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):

Post Communion (Ascension Day) ©  1985 Mowbray, a Cassell Imprint:After Communion compiled by C L Macdonnell

Acts 1.1-11 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Daniel 7.9-14 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Luke 24.44-53 ©  1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Psalm 47 ©  The Archbishops' Council 2000

Collect (Ascension Day) ©  The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)