Graduation Service 2020

St John’s College Chapel

Souvent me souvient

A virtual service for those who will graduate Wednesday 24th June, 2020

ORDER OF SERVICE

WELCOME

AND

INTRODUCTION

The Dean READINGS The Old Testament Lesson read by Professor Tim Whitmarsh, Vice-Master ‘With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6 vv. 6–8

The New Testament Lesson read by Anusha Ashok, former Co-President of the JCR Jesus said ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?

And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in

all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.’

Matthew 6 vv. 25–34

A ST JOHN’S COLLEGE PRAYER O glorious John Evangelist, Best beloved with Jesu Christ, In cena Domini upon his breast Eius vidisti arcana.

At the Feast of the Lord You have seen his mysteries

Chosen thou art to Christ Jesu, Thy mind was never cast from virtue, The doctrine of God thou didst renew Per eius vestigia.

Through his footsteps

O most noble of evangelists all, Grace to our Maker for us thou call, And of sweetness celestial Prebe nobis pocula.

Offer up the cups to us

And after the course of mortality, In heav’n with angels for to be, Singing Osanna to the Trinity, Per saeculorum saecula.

For ever and ever

Words Anonymous 15th century

Music John Rutter (b. 1945)

READING ‘The Summer Day’ by Mary Oliver read by Ollie Barnard, former Co-President of the JCR Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I meanthe one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and downwho is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

TE DEUM

LAUDAMUS

We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.

All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.

To thee all Angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein.

To thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.

The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee.

The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee.

The noble army of Martyrs praise thee.

The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee, The Father, of an infinite Majesty; Thine honorable, true, and only Son; Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.

Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.

When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.

When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.

We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge.

We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with thy Saints in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save thy people and bless thine heritage.

Govern them, and lift them up for ever.

Day by day we magnify thee; And we worship thy Name, ever world without end.

Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.

O Lord, in thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded.

Words Traditional prayer c. 4th Century

Music Collegium Regale Herbert Howells (1892–1983)

REFLECTION The Rev’d Canon Mark Oakley, Dean

PRAYERS The Rev’d Andrew Hammond, Chaplain

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE COLLEGE PRAYER Bless, O Lord, the work of this College, which is called by the name of thy beloved disciple; and grant that love of the brethren and all sound learning may ever grow and prosper here, to thy honour and glory, and to the good of thy people, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

THE BLESSING