The St. Nicholas Service

Patronal Service

All proceeds to Helen House Hospice*

Hymn

Minister

We have come together to worship God,
to give thanks for the life of St Nicholas,
and following his example to dedicate ourselves
to helping those in need,
especially remembering the work of Helen House.
So that we may be able to worship and celebrate
with an open mind and a clear conscience,
let us first seek God's forgiveness of our sins.

Let us kneel. Let us join in confessing our sins to God.

All

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry,
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.

The Minister declares God's forgiveness.

A Hymn for St Nicholas

Thank you for the great St Nich-o-las,
Friend of children good St Nich-o-las,
For the things he used to do,
Loving people because he loved you.
And today we think of all he used to do,
Loving Jesus and the people too.

If a person had some wrong to bear,
Good St Nich-o-las would get to hear,
Come along and do his best,
Righting wrongs and putting fears to rest.
And today we think of all he used to do,
Loving Jesus and the people too.

Sometimes people were badly abused,
Paid too little and unfairly used,
Nich-o-las came to their aid,
Doing miracles, or so it's said.
And today we think of all he used to do,
Loving Jesus and the people too.

When three girls could not afford to wed,
Guess who came as they all slept in bed,
Dropped gifts down the chimney flue?
Yes, you're right of course, I knew you knew!
And today we think of all he used to do,
Loving Jesus and the people too.

Let's be like St Nich-o-las today,
Helping those we meet along the way,
Doing what we can to help,
Making this a happy time to keep.
So now let's do what Nich-o-las used to do,
Well love Jesus and our neighbour too.

Tune: SOUTHCOTE 99 79 Refrain
Text: Source Unknown

The Blessing

If you have not put your donation to HELEN HOUSE HOSPICE
"down the chimney" on the way in, please do so on the way out.
Please give generously to this important work.

*Each year parishioners put donations down the chimney of a model of Helen House, the local hospice for terminally ill children.

From St Nicholas Church, Piddington, Oxfordshire, England, UK Used by permission.