Sunday Service - 11 June 23

Welcome to our service - 11 June

This service sheet can be used individually or with households.
We would encourage you to say (or even sing) hymns and songs out loud.
Prayers, other liturgy or readings can be said out loud or silently, corporately or individually.

OPENING

Faithful One, whose word is life: come with saving power to free our praise, inspire our prayer and shape our lives. For the kingdom of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVP6nQj1a_c

Praise to the Holiest in the height,

and in the depth be praise;

in all His words most wonderful;

most sure in all His ways.

2. O loving wisdom of our God!

when all was sin and shame,

a second Adam to the fight,

and to the rescue came.

3. O wisest love! that flesh and blood

which did in Adam fail,

should strive afresh against the foe,

should strive and should prevail.

4. And that a higher gift than grace

should flesh and blood refine,

God's presence, and His very self

and essence all-divine.

5. O generous love! that He, who smote

in man for man the foe,

the double agony in man

for man should undergo.

6. And in the garden secretly,

and on the cross on high

should teach His brethren, and inspire

to suffer and to die.

7. Praise to the Holiest in the height

and in the depth be praise;

in all His words most wonderful;

most sure in all His ways.

John Henry Newman (1801-90)

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

Almighty God,

to whom all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from whom no secrets are hidden:

cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

CONFESSION

Our God, we come in humility, confessing who and what we are.

Lord, when we avoid the hard questions that you ask;

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus, when we fail to trust you for our futures;

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, when we cling to tightly to our possessions;

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

ABSOLUTION

May Almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins,

and keep us in eternal life. Amen.

COLLECT

Faithful Creator,

whose mercy never fails:

deepen our faithfulness to you

and to your living Word,

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQkzHwz2eLE&t=185s

I will offer up my life in spirit and truth,

Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You.

In surrender I must give my every part,

Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.

Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring,

to so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?

Saviour, what can be said, what can be sung,

as a praise of Your name

for the things You have done?

O, my words could not tell, not even in part,

of the debt of love that is owed

by this thankful heart.

2. You deserve my every breath

for You've paid the great cost,

giving up Your life to death,

even death on a cross.

You took all my shame away,

there defeated my sin,

opened up the gates of heaven

and have beckoned me in.

Jesus, what can I give…

READINGS

2 Corinthians 12. 1 – 10

This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Matthew 14: 22 – 33

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came towards them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshipped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

This the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Questions for reflection (taken from Everyday Supernatural Small Group Guide)[1]

Jesus said, “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my
love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in
his love... You are my friends if you do what I command. I no
longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his
master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 14: 10, 14-15) Why is obedience the key to friendship with Jesus?
Have you ever had a time when you felt like God was asking you to ‘step out of the boat’? How did you respond and what happened?
Jesus responded to Peter’s doubt with kindness and help. What difference would it make to your ability to step out if you knew that no matter what happened, Jesus would respond to you with kindness?
Are there Christians you know where you can see the link between their obedience and their effectiveness in a certain area? What do you learn from how they live?
God ‘doesn’t wait until it’s convenient, comfortable or safe’ before asking us to do things. How might this change the ways in which we listen to him?
Is there anything you think God is specifically asking you to do in the immediate future? What is it and are you going to do it?

[1]https://static1.squarespace.com/static/576843ee6a4963a2b8c7a785/t/5992ff11cd0f686525d683d7/1502805779177/Everyday+Supernatural+Spirit+Led+Small+Group+Guide.pdf

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth

I believe in Jesus Christ,

his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand

of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen

O LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER,

O Lord, hear my prayer:

When I call answer me.

O Lord, hear my prayer,

O Lord, hear my prayer:

Come and listen to me.

Jacques Berthier/Taizé.

PRAYERS - written by Linda Chambers

Gracious Lord, we give you thanks and praise for all that your grace means to us. Your grace meets us where we are; your grace never asks more than we can give; your grace gives strength when we are weak. For every gift your grace supplies, we give you thanks today. Amen

Gracious Lord, we pray for your Church worldwide in all its diversity. Challenge your Church where it is thriving, give encouragement where it’s disheartened and courage where it feels suppressed.

We pray for our Bishops, Pete and Sophie and their staff and for all those who work at Diocesan Church House in their different roles. Provide the inspiration and resources they need to serve the variety of parishes across the Diocese.

Bless our church here at St. Gabriel’s. Thank you for those who facilitate our different groups and activities and those who serve you quietly behind the scenes. Help us to grow in our relationship with you and use us in our weakness to advance your kingdom and bring you glory.

Lord in our weakness … Be our strength

Gracious Lord, we pray for the Royal Family and especially King Charles. Please equip him to fulfil the promises he made at his coronation to serve this nation and the Commonwealth.

We pray for our Prime Minister and government, that they may have wisdom, understanding and integrity in all their deliberations and actions.

We pray for world leaders as they deal with very different and often very complex situations in their own countries – the aftermath of the train crash in India, unrest in Kosovo, the devastation caused by the collapse of the dam in Ukraine ...

Lord in our weakness … Be our strength

Gracious Lord, we pray for our local community of Greystones, for those who work in the shops, businesses and schools. Thank you for the volunteers who look after the Porter Valley so we can enjoy its beauty and facilities. We also remember those hidden behind closed doors struggling with loneliness, abuse or addictions.

Reach out your hand to those with health concerns, those fearful about the future, those adjusting to life without a loved one. May they know your grace in their weakness. And draw alongside young people facing exams, especially those feeling worried or stressed. Help their parents to know how best to support them.

Lord in our weakness … Be our strength

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever.

Amen

SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6LC8cu03Ig

THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet

And a light unto my path.

(Repeat)

When I feel afraid,

Think I’ve lost my way,

Still You’re there right beside me.

And nothing will I fear

As long as You are near;

Please be near me to the end.

THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet...

I will not forget

Your love for me, and yet

My heart forever is wandering.

Jesus, be my guide

And hold me to Your side,

And I will love You to the end.

THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet...

Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith.

OFFERTORY - Take a moment to consider how you are going to continue to give to the life of the church and support other aid agencies and mission organisations.

SAY:

Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,

the glory, the splendour, and the majesty;

for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.

All things come from you,

and of your own do we give you.

SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o469PRLdbHU

Will you come and follow me

If I but call your name?

Will you go where you don't know

And never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown,

Will you let my name be known,

Will you let my life be grown

In you and you in me?

2 Will you leave your self behind

If I but call your name?

Will you care for cruel and kind

And never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare

Should your life attract or scare

Will you let me answer prayer

In you and you in me?

3 Will you let the blinded see

If I but call your name?

Will you set the prisoners free

And never be the same?

Will you kiss the leper clean,

And do such as this unseen,

And admit to what I mean

In you and you in me?

4 Will you love the `you' you hide

If I but call your name?

Will you quell the fear inside

And never be the same?

Will you use the faith you've found

To reshape the world around

Through my sight and touch and sound

In you and you in me?

5 Lord, your summons echoes true

When you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you

And never be the same.

In your company I'll go

Where your love and footsteps show,

Thus I'll move and live and grow

In you and you in me.

Graham Maule & John L. Bell.

BLESSING

May the Holy Spirit who gives gifts to all people, flood your hearts with thanksgiving to God. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Welcome to our service - 11 June

Click here to watch all of our previous sermons

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