A selection of prayers, hymns and services
We have brought together a selection of resources to support ringing services, including a number of older ADM and AGM service sheets that may still be of interest and use.
In addition, we have provided links below to further relevant resources, including the CCCBR Bell Sunday page, which offers guidance and materials to support bell ringing within worship and special services.
Demo Service Sheets
Prayer resources
Below is a selection of prayers that you may find helpful for use during services. These have been chosen to support worship and reflection and may be used as they are or adapted to suit the particular focus or context of your service.
Prayers in a service
Almighty God, You have promised through Your Son Jesus Christ to hear us when we pray in faith.
We pray for Christ’s Church throughout the world, for its mission and witness; for our Diocese of St Albans, and for N and N our Bishops; we pray for our own parishes, their clergy and people, and for this (these) parish (parishes) in which we meet today.
Priest: Lord in Your mercy.
People: Hear our prayer.
We pray for our Guild, our District(s), and our towers. Especially we pray for all who hold office amongst us, that You, Heavenly Father, may bless them, and that we who elect them may support them in the various offices in which they are called to serve
Priest: Lord in Your mercy.
People: Hear our prayer.
We pray too for ourselves; may we so give ourselves to you, to our art, and to one another, that our ringing may give worthy praise to You, Heavenly Father, and be a fitting reminder of Your love to those who hear it.
Priest: Lord in Your mercy.
People: Hear our prayer.
We pray, dear Lord, for all who are sick, for all who are anxious, and for all who are sad at this time, especially members of this Guild, and others known to us whom we call to mind before You in our hearts [pause for quiet].
Priest: Lord in Your mercy.
People: Hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, we remember with gratitude all who have departed this life, and who, in their lifetime have enriched our ringing, our lives, and our faith. [Especially at this time we commend to You the soul(s) of N. Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon them.] At the last may we share with them the joy of Your eternal kingdom.
Priest: Lord in Your mercy.
People: Hear our prayer.
Written by Ron Sambridge, of Thorley
Heavenly Father,
We come before You with gratitude in our hearts, praising Your majesty and wisdom. We thank You for giving us the gift of music and art through the ringing of church bells.
May the harmonies of our bells be a reflection of Your love. We pray that as we practice and perfect our craft, we may honour Your name and share the joy and peace that Your love brings.
Guide our fellow bell ringers, and protect them as they dedicate their time and skill to this ministry. May their efforts bring comfort to our community and remind all who hear them of the hope and joy that is found in You.
We offer thanks for the skills You have given us and we pray that they may always be used for the glory of Your name.
Amen.
For the Guild/Association
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing upon our Guild, its officers, and all who serve in our Districts and towers, help them in all their work undertaken for the furtherance and advancement of our art, and in the service of Your holy church
We ask this in Christ’s name.
Amen.
O God our Father, we give You thanks for our fellowship within our Guild, and for the rich inheritance in which we are privileged to share. We ask Your blessing upon all who hold positions of leadership and responsibility in our Guild, in our Districts, and in our Parishes and towers. May Your peace and blessing be with us this day; give us Your light to guide us, and Your love to unite us, we ask this in Christ’s dear name.
Amen.
O God, who has made all things well
and given us so much in life to enjoy;
we thank You for the art of bellringing,
for the skill of bell founders and craftsmen,
for the gift of music and sound,
and for every means by which our life
and our worship is enriched.
Bless the work of the Hertford County Association of Change Ringers
and Bishop’s Stortford District
and help us to be good stewards of our gifts,
that we may glorify You
in fuller dedication of ourselves,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
For the Church and its Mission
Heavenly Father, we pray for all who are called by the sound of the bells to worship in Christ’s Church; may all who respond praise You with joy, and show forth Your love and goodness in their lives, in Jesus name.
Amen.
Almighty God, we pray for the mission and witness of the Church throughout the world, and especially in our own Diocese of St Albans. We pray for our Bishops (N and N), and for the clergy and people of the parishes we represent. May we be united in Your truth, live together in Your love, and show forth Your glory amongst all we meet in our daily lives, in Christ’s dear name we ask this.
Amen.
O God our Father, may the sound of the bells ringing from our towers remind those who hear them of the mission of the Church, and find comfort and assurance from the Gospel of peace they proclaim, may the bells draw us all to praise You for Your love and goodness through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
For Ringers
Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, without whom we can do nothing; prosper, we pray you, the work of our Guild; increase our skill in the performance of our art, and grant us grace to serve You faithfully in word and deed, that in our lives we may witness to Your glory, and to Your love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whose dear name we ask this.
Amen
Father, hear our prayer for those who ring the bells of Your house of prayer, may we ring out the false and ring in the true, that the gospel of Christ may be faithfully proclaimed, and may all who ring be joined together in fellowship and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
O God our Father, we give thanks for the comradeship and fellowship of the ringing exercise, and pray for ringers everywhere. We ask Your blessing upon our Guild and all its work, and upon us all, that we may be enabled to preserve and progress in our art, using to the full the gifts You have given us; and grant that by our ringing and our lives, we may witness to the gospel of truth, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Heavenly Father, we pray that we and all who ring the bells of your house may be joined together in fellowship and peace. May we do our utmost to make the art of ringing a fitting instrument for Your service, to the praise of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
For the Sick
Compassionate Father, we commend to Your love and healing touch all who are sick and suffering at this time, (especially N). May the sound of the bells ever remind them of the prayers of the Church, and of the hope to which the Gospels bear witness, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Heavenly Father, in our prayers we remember before You all who are ill, all who are lonely, all who are unhappy, and all who feel unloved. We pray that by the message of the bells, they may be aware of Your saving love and presence, and experience the healing touch of the risen Christ in their lives, in His dear name we ask it.
Amen.
For the Departed
Heavenly Father, Your Son is the resurrection and the life for all who believe in His name; we pray for those who have died, especially all past members of, and benefactors of, our Guild (and for N recently departed); at the last grant that we may share with them in the inheritance of the saints in glory in that eternal kingdom, where with You and the Holy Spirit, He lives and reigns, world without end.
Amen.
Father in Heaven, we pray for all who have departed this life in Your faith and fear, both those who have confessed the faith, and those whose faith is known to You alone. (Especially at this time we would pray for the soul of N). May all who have died know Your peace, and be enabled to share with all the saints the blessings of Your eternal kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Hatfield Heath
Heavenly Father, we remember with gratitude all who have departed this life, and who, in their lifetime, have enriched our ringing, our lives, and our faith. Especially at this time we commend to You the soul of N. May s/he rest in peace and rise in glory. In Jesus’ name
Amen
A Belfry Prayer
Grant, O Lord, we pray, that those who are appointed to ring the bells of this house of prayer may do it worthily and to Your glory; and that those who shall be called by the ringing of these bells to worship You may enter into Your gates with thanksgiving and into Your courts with praise;
Christ our Lord.
Amen
Thaxted Belfry Prayer
Gracious Lord, the source of all skill and beauty, who hast entrusted to us Thy servants the sounding of Thy praise and call to worship, grant us strength, skill and perseverance, that we may faithfully perform this Thy work to Thy honour and glory.
May these bells awaken the hearts of those who hear them, the desire to worship Thee with Thy church, that faith and devotion may be increased in all people, through Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN.
This also from Thaxted:
Heavenly Father, as we gather to ring these bells please be with all who will hear them. May this reminder of Your presence bring comfort to those who are sad, lonely or housebound; and challenge to those who are indifferent to Your love and promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer before a meeting
Gracious God, as we come before You today to discuss important matters, we ask for Your guidance and wisdom. You are the source of all knowledge and understanding; therefore, we seek Your direction in our decision-making process. Help us to listen attentively to one another, with open hearts and minds
Amen
Lord God, we thank you for bringing us together tonight after our different sorts of days; for the privilege of being able to serve You through helping administer the business of this Association and for the many gifts You have given us which enable that.
Please help us to recognise and honour those gifts in ourselves and in one other; give us the grace to allow each one to individually blossom; and show us how to use them to complement each other, so that we may grow ever closer to what You need us to be as an Association.
As we work through the agenda tonight, we pray that Your Spirit may move freely among us, guiding us with the mind of Christ, so that the practicalities of finance, fabric and any other concerns are underpinned by Your will and dealt with in peace, truth and above all, love.
We ask this in the name of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen
Helpful links
Further helpful guidance, ideas, and supporting materials can be found on the following websites. Please click the links below to access additional resources that may assist with planning and delivering ringing services.