Soham Grammarians : 28 July 1972
Commemoration Service
1686-1972

please scroll down for the Order of Service

 

ORDER OF SERVICE

The congregation is asked to stand as the Clergy and Headmaster enter from the vestry, and to remain standing for the hymn.

HYMN

Fanfare

All All people that on earth do dwell
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, his praise forthtell,
Come ye before him and rejoice.
All The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
Without our aid he did us make;
We are his folk, he doth us feed,
And for his sheep he doth us take.
Choir O enter then his gates with praise,
Approach with joy his courts unto;
Praise, laud, and bless his name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
Choir For why? the Lord our god is good:
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly stood,
And shall from age to age endure.

Fanfare
All To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
The God whom heaven and earth adore,
From men and from the angel host
Be praise and glory evermore. Amen.
 


Words by W. Kethe (Daye's Psalter 1560-1)
Music by L. Bourgeois (Genevan Psalter 1551)
Arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Verse four Faux Bourdon arr. John Dowland

All should here knee/ for the prayers which follow, to which the people are invited to make a firm response.

PRAYERS

Remember, O Lord, what thou hast wrought in us, and not what we deserve; and as thou hast called us to thy service, make us worthy of our calling; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Priest: Let us pray for peace throughout the world;
for our country, School and homes,
and all in authority in this land:
People: Our hope is in the Word made flesh.
Priest: Let us pray for all who are sick and those who mourn;
for the poor and destitute;
for the helpless and the oppressed:
People: Our hope is in the Word made flesh.
Priest: Let us pray for those whom God has called to rest;
for those who still await his call;
that all may be worthy to share his bliss:
People: Our hope is in the Word made flesh.
Priest: Let us humbly offer up our prayers and praises to our Saviour Christ who
taught us when we pray to say:
Our Father,
People: which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name;
Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done;
In earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that 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.
All: We give Thee hearty thanks, O Lord,
for all thy goodness to us and all men,
for all the blessings of our daily life,
for its joys and also for its sorrows
and for the promise of eternal happiness;
for friendship and service,
for parents and homelife,
for health and for the spirit of adventure
and for all things else for which we should be grateful

We give Thee hearty thanks, O Lord.

All should stand and join in singing the Psalm which follows.

PSALM 46

All 1 God is our hope and ' strength : a very ' present ' help in ' trouble.
  2 Therefore will we not fear though the ' earth be ' moved : and though the
hills be carried ' into ' . the midst of . the ' sea.
  3 Though the waters thereof ' rage and ' swell : and though the mountains
shake at the ' tempest ' of the ' same.
  4 The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the ' city ' . of God : the
holy place of the tabernacle ' of the ' most ' highest.
  5 God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she ' not . be re- ' moved : God
shall ' help her ' . and ' that right early.
  6 The heathen make much ado and the ' kingdoms ' . are ' moved : but God
hath shewed his voice, and the ' earth shall ' melt a- ' way.
2nd Part 7 The Lord of ' hosts is ' with us : the God of ' Jacob ' is our ' refuge.
  8 O come hither and behold the ' works of ' . the Lord : what destruction
he hath ' brought up- ' on the ' earth.
  9 He maketh wars to cease in ' all the ' world : he breaketh the bow, and
knappeth the spear in sunder, and burneth the ' chari- ' . ots in the fire.
  10 Be still then and know that ' I am ' God : I will be exalted among the
heathen, and I will be ex- ' alted ' in the ' earth.
  11 The Lord of ' hosts is ' with us : the God of ' Jacob ' is our ' refuge.
Glory be to the Father, and ' to the ' Son : and ' to the ' Holy ' Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ' ever' shall be : world without '
end. ' A ' - men.

Music adapted from Martin Luther's "Ein Feste Burg"

All should sit until the next hymn.

READING Ecclesiastes, chapter twelve

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders shall cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

The Choir will sing the first anthem, the congregation remaining seated.

ANTHEM - INSANAE ET VANAE CURAE - Franz Josef Haydn

Insanae et vanae curae
invadunt mentes nostras,
Saepe furore replent
orda, privata spe.		 Senseless and futile cares
Assail our minds;
Deprived of hope, they often
Fill our hearts with madness.
Quid prodest O mortalis
conari pro mundanis,
si coelos negligas.
Sunt fausta tibi cuncta
si Deus est pro te.		 What does it profit you, O mortal man,
To strive for wordly men
If you neglect heaven ?
All things favour you
If God is set before you.

Set by the composer to the chorus
"Svanisce in un momento" from his
Oratorio, "Il ritorno di Tobia". (1784)

READING Saint Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, chapter four

I implore you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

Then we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.

The congregation should now stand.

HYMN

All O Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end;
Be thou for ever near me,
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If thou wilt be my guide.		 3. O Jesus, thou hast promised
To all who follow thee,
That where thou art in glory
There shall thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
My Master and my Friend.
2. O let me hear thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
O speak to re-assure me,
To hasten or control;
O speak and make me listen,
Thou guardian of my soul.		 4. O let me see thy footmarks,
And in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly
Is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in heaven receive me,
My Saviour and my Friend.

Words by J. E. Bode
Music by Basil Harwood (1859-1949)

The congregation should kneel for the prayers which follow.

PRAYERS

O Lord Jesus Christ, Child of Bethlehem, maker and builder of every house not made with hands: we give Thee thanks for all the members of this School who have served thee with fruitful labour for the increase of knowledge and wisdom, and for the nurture of faithful servants of thy Kingdom. As thou didst strengthen them to add their share to thy work, so teach and strengthen us, we pray Thee, to do thy will in the task apportioned to us in this our generation; and grant that with them we may enter into thy joy in the fulfilment of thine eternal counsel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then all shall join together, saying,

All: God grant
to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the Queen,
the Commonwealth, and to all mankind,
peace and concord;
and to us, and all his servants,
life everlasting. Amen.

The congregation should sit while the Choir sings the second anthem.

ANTHEM - ZADOK THE PRIEST - George Frederic Handel

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet
anointed Solomon King.
And all the people rejoiced, and said:
"God save the King! Long live the King!
God save the King! May the King live for ever!"
Amen. Allelujah. Amen.

SERMON

The Reverend Max. Williams
Vicar of Cheveley
Vice-Chairman of the Governors

[It is hoped to transcribe the text if possible from a re-recording from the reel-to-reel tape made of the service - see below]

All should now stand for the next hymn.

HYMN

All

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,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice.
Ye lights of evening, find a voice;
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Boys and Ladies

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!

Gentlemen

Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

All

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on him cast your care;
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

All

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship him in humbleness;
O praise him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One;
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Words by W. H. Draper and based on
Saint Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Sun"
Music from the "Katholische
Kirchengesange (Cologne, 1623)

All should kneel for the final prayers.

Priest: Let us join together and say as with one voice:

Almighty God,

People: we offer Thee our souls and bodies,
to be a living sacrifice,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Send us out into the world
in the power of thy Spirit,
to live and work
to thy praise and glory. Amen.

Priest: May Christ the good shepherd bring you and all who hear his voice to be
one flock, gathered into one fold; and the blessing of God Almighty, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you
always. Amen.

The congregation is asked to sit while the Choir sings the final anthem

ANTHEM - HALLELUJAH! - A Chorus from "Messiah" by George Frederic Handel

Hallelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
The kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord
and of his Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!

The congregation is asked to stand while the Clergy, Headmaster, Staff, Choir
and Boys of' the School leave in procession during the organ music which follows.

'For Our Headmaster
From all who were there'

3.75 ips reel-to-reel tape [which Mrs Armitage has now had copied to a cassette]

source: Mrs May Armitage

Can you name those shown?
Duncan Scott (1971) thinks the back photo is Jonathon Reeve (1971): David Scott (1966) says he's front left on the front photo, but too young for this to have been in 1972. He also believes Martin Allen (1966) is front photo, back, middle.
front*
back

*back: Bernard Anderson - Martin Allen - 3
front: David Scott - Graham Crow - 3

Mrs May Armitage has identified Bernard Anderson: Ed Reed believes the front middle is Graham Crow

Report of Service

last updated 19 Nov 2004