Welcome to our online service - 19 September
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.
If you are able, we would also like invite you to join us for our main Sunday service, 10am, live on Zoom and in the church. Even if you have never been to St Gabriel’s before we would love you to join us. Please get in touch with the vicar Alistair (vicar@saintgs.co.uk) and he will send you the Zoom details.
Please join us for public worship in the church building this Sunday at 10am or 11:30am.
Opening Prayer:
We stand before the throne of God
with countless crowds
from every nation and race, tribe and language.
Blessing and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honour, power and might
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNQOcpECk4A
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
He, whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for His own abode:
on the rock of ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
2. See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove:
who can faint, while such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
3. Saviour, if of Zion's city
I, through grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in Thy name:
fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
John Newton (1725-1807)
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
The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart God will not despise. Let us come to the Lord, who is full of compassion, and acknowledge our transgressions in penitence and faith.
Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love,
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed,
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light.
Amen.
ABSOLUTION
May the Father of all mercies
cleanse us from our sins,
and restore us in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECT
Lord of creation,
whose glory is around and within us:
open our eyes to your wonders,
that we may serve you with reverence
and know your peace at our lives’ end,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NqzR6lC2Mo
1. Blessed is the man,
the man who does not walk
in the counsel of the ungodly-blessed is that man.
He who rejects the way,
rejects the way of sin
and who turns away from scoffing-blessed is that man.
But his delight-by day and night-
is the law of God Almighty.
2. He is like a tree-a tree that flourishes
being planted by the water-blessed is that man.
He will bring forth fruit-his leaf will wither not-
for in all he does he prospers-blessed is that man.
For his delight-by day and night-
is the law of God Almighty.
3. The ungodly are not so-for they
are like the chaff which the wind blows
clean away-the ungodly are not so.
The ungodly will not stand-upon
the judgement day nor belong to God's own people-
the ungodly will not stand.
But God knows the way of righteous men
and ungodly ways will perish.
Blessed is the man, the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly-blessed is that man.
© Michael Baughen / Jubilate Hymns
READINGS
Genesis 1:26-27 New International Version – UK
Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Genesis 3:1-13 New International Version – UK
Now the snake was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’
The woman said to the snake, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”’
‘You will not certainly die,’ the snake said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’
He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’
And he said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?’
The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’
Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’
The woman said, ‘The snake deceived me, and I ate.’
John 8:1-11 New International Version - UK
Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered round him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’
‘No one, sir,’ she said.
‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
This the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
TALK written by Catherine Stevenson
On 22nd August I spoke on the creation story in Genesis, unpacking what it means for us, and if you haven’t heard it, you might want to visit the website to have a listen. I touched on our identity as humans made in the image of God, and today we’re going to explore that idea a little more. Genesis 1:26-27 tells us that humankind bear the image and likeness of God. But what exactly does that mean? What is it about being made in God’s image that sets us apart from the rest of creation? In his book, The Mission of God, Christopher Wright sets out four key truths drawn from Genesis 1-3, which are vital to understanding who we are in relation to God.
Firstly, God can speak to all people. In Genesis 1-3 God speaks to Adam and Eve with words of blessing (1:28), instruction (1:28), permission (1:29, 2:16), prohibition (2:17), questions (3:9, 3:11), and judgements (3:16-19). Later in the Old Testament we learn that communication from God is not limited to gender, ethnicity or covenant status; God speaks to Deborah (Jud.4:6-7) and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.4:31-32) as well as Abraham (Gen.12:1-3) and Moses (Ex.3:4). Wright argues that there is “a fundamental God-awareness or God-openness that is common to all humanity”. Now I have no doubt that we can all think of people we know who profess to being atheists - they don’t believe in God. But there are simply too many accounts of God speaking to or intervening in the lives of hardened atheists for me to believe he can’t get through to them. He can, and he does.
Another example is the well-documented phenomenon of Muslims converting to Christianity after having a dream about Jesus. These are people who have never seen a Bible or met a Christian, coming to faith in Christ because he spoke to them in a dream or vision. God often uses people to send his message - but he doesn’t need us.
God can speak to anyone. This is hugely encouraging to those of us who pray regularly for a friend or family member who doesn’t yet believe. It doesn’t explain God’s timing, and why some of our prayers don’t seem to be answered, but it’s reassuring to know the task is not impossible. Whatever a person thinks about God, he can speak to them, and often it does come through Christians in their lives. So do remember that God could use you to be the answer to your own prayers.
We’re going to take a moment now to respond to this. Let’s all think of someone you know who doesn’t yet know Jesus - maybe you’ve been praying for them for years, or perhaps you’ve never thought to pray for them. Just hold that person in your mind now as we pray together. Lord God, you know each person we are thinking about now. We ask that you would speak to them in a way they will understand. Amen. Now there’s one more thing I’d like you to do. This week, ask that God would bring someone into your life who you can speak his truth and love to. It’s a dangerous prayer to pray, but one that God loves to answer, so be ready!
So, God can speak to anyone.
Secondly, all humans are accountable to God. In Genesis 3:11 God questions Adam and he is called to give account for his actions. In Psalm 33:13-15 the writer declares “the Lord looks down and sees all mankind…(he) considers everything they do.” In his book ‘Mere Christianity’ C.S.Lewis talks about ‘the Law of Nature’ and like Christopher Wright, he describes this as a “universal sense of moral obligation” that is common to all humanity, and enables all people to be accountable to God, regardless of what they have been taught. In every country in the world, you will find different laws, but a universal understanding of common human decency, fairness, honour and respect. Without this, societies couldn’t function. Let’s take for example one of those fundamentally important aspects of life: the queuing system. Not many people enjoy queuing for things but we’re pretty good at it in this country and the system works. As far as I know, there are no laws about queuing, but we all know that if you arrive at the checkout first, you will be served first, if you arrive last you will be served last - it’s fair. In my gap year I travelled quite a lot and in every country I visited, everyone seemed to understand the principal of fairness when it came to queueing. A few years later I was travelling in with Alistair in Kenya and we were crossing the border into Tanzania on a bus. When our bus arrived at the passport office we got off and queued with everyone else. It was very hot, uncomfortable and slow, so you can imagine our feelings when a minibus full of Italian tourists parked up and the Italians walked straight to the front of the queue. Hoping at least one of them spoke English, I vocalised my feelings to Alistair a little louder than was necessary. I know I wasn’t the only one in the queue who was annoyed. No-one had broken a human law, but they had broken the law of fairness which we all understood.
Similarly, in every culture in the world, respect for human life is evident. When my gran died in 2012, I knew she had gone to be with Jesus. But nevertheless, great care and respect were shown to her body as it was prepared for burial. Every culture has its own traditions or rituals that take effect when someone dies, but there is no culture or tradition in which the body is simply discarded or left. When this does happen, like in times of war, there is something shocking about it, because it breaks the Law of Nature which God has placed in us all, when he made us in his image. And whenever people fail to live by this law, we are ultimately accountable to God.
Thirdly, all human beings have dignity and equality. No other animal was created in God’s image and this sets humankind apart from everything else in all creation. The image-bearing identity of humankind is absolutely fundamental to the Christian belief in the sanctity of all human life. It says that all humans share equal status in the eyes of God and have equal value. God loves and values the homeless person on the street corner, just as much as he loves and values the Queen. There is no hierarchy or distinction. Does that mean we should treat the Queen like a homeless person, or a homeless person like the Queen?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was founded on the same principal; the equality and intrinsic value of all human beings. In fact, John Mark Comer describes human rights as a thoroughly Christian innovation which is completely at odds with secular Darwinian theory. Yuval Harari, a leading atheist of our time said human rights only make sense if you believe that all human beings are made in the image of God. If you believe we’re all just apes with a slightly larger brain, this idea of the strong defending the weak makes no sense at all. We are equal in value because God made us equal.
Whilst the importance of equality really resonates with most of us in the 21st century, it was a radical view for its time in history, and even now it’s not universally accepted. For example, the Hindu caste system is all about ethnic groups with varying status and value in society, with the least valuable people often being treating like slaves or animals. We also see this in many patriarchal societies around the world where women, children and disabled people are afforded less rights and opportunities than men. Tragically, Afghanistan seems to be heading directly away from the principle of Human Rights, and it’s one of many countries we need to be praying for.
When people abuse or exploit another human being (made in God’s image) it is an act of high treason against God. Tragically, the abuse and exploitation of people is commonplace in the 21st century. There are over a billion people living in slums, there are more slaves in the world today than there has ever been, and the proliferation of nuclear weapons threatens mass destruction of life.
Finally, the biblical gospel fits all. In addition to being made in God’s image, humanity also shares a fallen nature; we all sin and in doing so we distort the image of God in us. In Jesus (the perfect image), God sets out to restore his image in humanity by forgiveness and grace. Where sin is the universal problem of humanity, the gospel is the universal solution. It invites people to become more fully human by restoring God’s image in them.
As Christians we believe human life is of immense value because every human being bears the image of God. “It is not an extra feature added on to our species; it is definitive of what it means to be human.” (Theologian, Christopher Wright). Since we all hold God’s image within us, the more we get to know any human being, the more we get to know God.
As image-bearers, all people are capable of hearing from God, all people are accountable to him, and all people should be treated with equal dignity and respect.
Like Adam, humanity shares not only the image of God, but also the problem of sin. However, in the Gospel we find a universal solution: Jesus came to restore humanity’s broken relationship with God and his image in them, thereby enabling people to become more fully human.
Knowing that we have sinned and are accountable to God, let’s pray today that God would forgive us and restore his image in us, so that we can become the people he created us to be. Let’s pray that just as God has spoken into our lives, that he would speak into the lives of our families, friends and neighbours, so that they too might experience his love. Let’s pray for those who feel like they are less valuable than others, and let’s ask God to help us treat everyone as image-bearers of the living God; as priest-kings in his world. And lets thank God for Jesus, who has the power to transform and restore all the brokenness of humanity.
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.
Copyright © 1982 Ateliers et Presses de Taize (France)
PRAYERS - written by Linda Chambers
Lord God, thank you that you created us in your image, male and female. Thank you that you made us to be in relationship with you, with your creation and with one another. Yet so often we fail to live up to your standards so your image in us is marred. Please help us to walk closely with you in our daily lives and allow you to change us into your likeness.
LORD IN YOUR MERCY / HEAR OUR PRAYER
Lord God, we pray for those who feel rejected by society, often through no fault of their own. We pray for those who feel marginalised or vulnerable, those who struggle with their identity. Please protect those living with domestic abuse so often hidden from view and victims of modern slavery also hidden from view. Encourage national and local governments to address such concerns and provide appropriate help and support.
We remember those in prison often forgotten by the outside world, unable to see family members especially during the pandemic. Give wisdom and patience to prison chaplains as they provide a listening ear and seek to offer hope through their ministry.
LORD IN YOUR MERCY / HEAR OUR PRAYER
Lord God, this week our government has made some major decisions for our benefit regarding Covid vaccinations. We’ve also been made aware that the Delta variant is threatening the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable, especially across Africa. Please give rich nations wisdom and compassion to address the dilemma of caring for their own citizens and sharing much-needed resources with the developing world.
We pray for countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and many others in desperate need of hygiene kits, handwashing stations and safe drinking water. We pray for ways of delivering vaccines to isolated communities and key health workers, training in administering the vaccines safely and publicising vaccine programmes via churches and local radio.
In a quiet moment you may like to name any countries for which you have a particular concern …
LORD IN YOUR MERCY / HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Lord God, as we emerge from the pandemic, help us here at St. Gabriel’s as we re-connect with one another and welcome new individuals and families. We pray for those still feeling uncertain about returning to the church building and help us to remain vigilant and respect each other’s feelings. In a quiet moment let’s remember anyone we are especially concerned about or who may need God’s peace at this time …
Thank you for those who maintain and care for our buildings. We pray for those returning to use our premises for their activities and for any new groups starting up.
Please inspire and equip those who plan and prepare our weekly services and help us to be open to new opportunities ahead for worship, service and fellowship. We pray for Sam Chubb who will be sharing the next year with us as an intern. Thank you for his particular gifts and encourage him as he settles in and serves alongside us.
We ask for your blessing on the Playmates group recently re-started, PCC zoom meeting on Monday evening and the various sub-groups supporting the life of our church.
LORD IN YOUR MERCY / HEAR OUR PRAYER.
Lord God, restore your image in us that we might be faithful stewards of your creation and co-workers with you in fulfilling your purposes in the world. 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=16KYvfIc2bE
In Christ alone my hope is found.
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest
drought and storm.
What heights of love,
what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled,
when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
2. In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones He came to save:
till on that cross as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied -
for ev’ry sin on Him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.
3. There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
then bursting forth in glorious Day
up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
for I am His and He is mine -
bought with the precious blood of Christ.
4. No guilt in life, no fear in death,
this is the power of Christ in me;
from life's first cry to final breath;
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
can ever pluck me from His hand;
till He returns or calls me home,
here in the pow’r of Christ I'll stand!
Words: Stuart Townend
Music: Keith Getty
© 2001 Kingsway's Thankyou Music.
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=AUVAbXgJyqQ
FORTH IN THY NAME, O LORD, I GO,
My daily labour to pursue,
Thee, only Thee, resolved to know
In all I think, or speak, or do.
The task Thy wisdom hath assigned
O let me cheerfully fulfil;
In all my works Thy presence find,
And prove Thy acceptable will.
Thee may I set at my right hand,
Whose eyes my inmost substance see;
And labour on at Thy command,
And offer all my works to Thee.
Give me to bear Thy easy yoke,
And every moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to Thy glorious day.
For Thee delightfully employ
Whate'er Thy bounteous grace hath given,
And run my course with even joy,
And closely walk with Thee to heaven.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
BLESSING
May God, who in Christ gives us a spring of water welling
up to eternal life, perfect in you the image of his glory;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always. Amen