Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin
PAINSWICK FEAST (Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
THE CLYPPING SERVICE
INTRODUCTION
For many years the people of Painswick have
observed the Sunday of, or after, 19th September
as Painswick Feast, assembling together in the
afternoon in the churchyard for the Clypping
ceremony.
‘Clypping’ means embracing in old English, and the
ceremony is the clypping or embracing of the
church by the people of the parish. By joining hands
and completely encircling the church we express
affection and gratitude for this church, our unity with
one another in Christ and God’s wonderful love for
us.
St Mary’s is a house of prayer for the ancient parish,
and ‘mother church’ of a large district that is known
today as the Beacon Benefice. Today we celebrate
and give thanks to God that St Mary’s continues to
remain in the heart of community and parish life
here in Painswick, the ‘Queen of the Cotswolds’.
The service begins at 3pm in church. After a prayer, the procession
begins. You may wait outside if you wish. Two hymns are sung during
the procession around the churchyard. Please join the procession if
you are able, and do join in with all the words in bold type.
FIRST HYMN: All People that on Earth do Dwell
All people that on earth do dwell,
Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with fear, his praise forth tell,
Come ye before him, and rejoice.
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.
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.
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.
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.
SECOND HYMN: The Church’s One Foundation
The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord:
She is his new creation
By water and the Word:
From heaven he came and sought her
To be his holy bride:
With his own blood he bought her
And for her life he died.
Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace for evermore;
Till with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest.
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.
Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth,
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses
With every grace endued.
Yet she on earth hath union
With God, the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won;
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we,
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee.
Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore opprest,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distrest
Yet saints their watch are keeping
Their cry goes up “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.
WELCOME
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you
THE BIDDING PRAYER
Loving God, we have come here today in your presence to praise you and to thank you
for all your blessings to us in our daily lives and in this community of Painswick; to give
thanks for the ministry of our parish church of St Mary and for all that it means to so
many people; to rededicate ourselves to your service, and to pray for your continued
blessing and guidance for our lives in the future.
We pray for all in our community; and acknowledge with gratitude the privilege we have
been given in living in this beautiful place. We ask that, following the example of your
Son Jesus Christ and inspired by your Spirit, we may reach out to your world, which we
are called to love, steward and serve. In so doing, may we reveal the light of your love
to your people here and throughout the world. All this we ask for your glory, and in the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
READING
THE PREACHER’S FEE… a basket of flowers and two buns is presented.
SERMON
We sing the song of Mary, our patron saint, and then we move to completely encircle
the church.
During the following hymns a collection is taken. If you would like to donate but prefer
not to give cash, please use the donation station in St Mary’s or scan the QR code at
the end of this service sheet. Thank you!
HYMN: Tell out my Soul the Greatness of the Lord!
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice
Tender to me the promise of his word
In God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done
His mercy sure, from age to age the same,
His holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might:
Powers and dominions lay their glory by;
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
The humble fed, the hungry lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word,
Firm is his promise and his mercy sure.
Tell out , my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children’s children and for evermore.
Music is played as we move to encircle the church after the hymn. When the circle is
complete, we embrace or ‘clyppe’ our lovely church with wings of angels.
HYMN: The Clypping Hymn
Daily, daily sing the praises
Of the city God hath made:
In the beauteous fields of Eden
Its foundation stones are laid
In the midst of that dear city
Christ is reigning on His seat
And the angels swing their censers
In a ring about His feet.
O, that I had wings of angels, etc.
Chorus
O, that I had wings of angels
Here to spread and heavenward fly
I would seek the gates of Zion
Far beyond the starry sky.
From the throne a river issues
Clear as crystal passing bright
And it traverses the city
Like a beam of living light.
O, that I had wings of angels, etc
All the walls of that dear city O, I would my ears were open
Are of bright and burnished gold
It is matchless in its beauty,
And its treasures are untold.
O, that I had wings of angels, etc
Here to catch that happy strain!
O, I would my eyes some vision
Of that Eden could attain!
O, that I had wings of angels, etc
PRAYERS
Prayers are said, ending with the response:
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Let us sum up all our prayers by saying together the family prayer that our Lord Jesus
Christ taught us to pray:
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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.
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.
HYMN: The National Anthem
God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King.
Not in this land alone,
but be God’s mercies known,
from shore to shore.
Lord, make the nations see,
that men should brothers be,
and form one family,
the wide world over.
BLESSING
The choir and clergy procession leaves the green. After the service, children are invited
into church to collect a bun and a coin!
OUR PARTICULAR THANKS TO THE BAND AND CHOIR, OUR PREACHER &
HELPERS. DO STAY TO EAT & CHAT.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ST MARY’S
Please visit our website beaconbenefice.org.uk to find out more about
the life of our church, or speak to one of our church wardens about how
you can get involved. Alternatively, if you would like to bless St Mary’s
with a financial gift, please scan the QR code below which will take you
directly to our Just Giving page. Thank you.
CCL license no M.243.385.