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Thursday - The Ebba Compline

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Ebba died in the year 683. She was the sister of Oswald and Oswy, who were both kings of Northumbria. She founded the 'double' (i.e. there were both men and women there) monastery at Coldingham, situated on St Abbs's Head (which was subsequently named after her).

Ebba was consecrated a nun by Aidan. Bede described her as a 'pious woman and a handmaid of Christ.'

If this Compline is being used in a group setting the * notation indicates a change of reader; words in bold are said all together; words in bold italic are said by each person in turn; and + indicates where you might make the sign of the cross.

+ (silently)

* Find rest, O my soul, in God alone:
my hope comes from Him.

Come I this night to the Father,
come I this night to the Son,
come I to the Holy Spirit powerful:
come I this night to God.
Come I this night with Christ,
come I with the Spirit of kindness.
Come I to Thee, Jesus.
Jesus, shelter me.

* I will lie down and sleep.
I wake again,
because the Lord sustains me.

* By day the Lord directs His love;
at night His song is with me -
a prayer to the God of my life.

* Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.

* This dwelling, O God, by Thee be blest;
and each one who here this night does rest.

* May God be in my sleep;
may Christ be in my dreams.
May the Spirit be in my repose,
in my thoughts, in my heart.
In my soul always
may the Sacred Three dwell.

May the Father of heaven
have care of my soul,
His loving arm about my body,
through each slumber
and sleep of my life.

The Son of God be shielding me from harm,
the Son of God be shielding me from ill,
the Son of God be shielding me with power.
The Son of God be shielding me this night.

* Sleep, O sleep in the calm of each calm.
Sleep, O sleep in the guidance of all guidance.
Sleep, O sleep in the love of all loves.
Sleep, O beloved, in the Lord of life.
Sleep, O beloved, in the God of life.

The peace of all peace
be mine this night
+ in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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Newsflash

In September 1513, 500 years ago, there occurred the bloodiest battle in the long history of warfare between England and Scotland. It all happened at Flodden, near Coldstream in the Scottish Borders – not very far from Hetton Hall, the Community’s former Mother House.

Despite initially occupying the high ground, the Scottish forces found themselves outflanked by the English and there was the most awful slaughter of the great and good of the Scottish nation, including the loss of their king, James IV.

Today the battlefield site is open farmland and, with a helpful guide, one can walk around it with the sounds of battle almost ringing in one’s ears. To do so is to reflect not only on man’s inhumanity to man, but also on how this was the last great battle between the two nations, which within 100 years had united their crowns (in 1603); and within 200 had united their governments (1707).

Read more...