Welcome to our service - 23 January
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. Even if you have never been to St Gabriel’s before we would love you to join you. Please get in touch with the vicar Alistair (vicar@saintgs.co.uk) and he will send you the Zoom details.
Notices
Please don’t hesitate to ring Alistair (07769 213 581) if you have any questions or would like support.
SERVICE
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=Dv2BqFgm6_M
O worship the King,
all-glorious above;
O gratefully sing
His power and His love;
our shield and defender,
the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendour,
and girded with praise.
2. O tell of His might,
O sing of His grace,
whose robe is the light,
whose canopy, space;
His chariots of wrath
the deep thunder-clouds form,
and dark is His path
on the wings of the storm.
3. The earth, with its store
of wonders untold,
Almighty, Thy power
hath founded of old:
hath ‘stablished it fast
by a changeless decree,
and round it hath cast,
like a mantle, the sea.
4. Thy bountiful care
what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air,
it shines in the light,
it streams from the hills,
it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills
in the dew and the rain.
5. Frail children of dust,
and feeble as frail,
in Thee do we trust,
nor find Thee to fail:
Thy mercies, how tender,
how firm to the end,
our maker, defender,
Redeemer, and friend!
6. O Lord of all might,
how boundless Thy love!
while angels delight
to hymn Thee above,
the humbler creation,
though feeble their lays,
with true adoration
shall sing to Thy praise.
Words: Robert Grant (1779-1838)
Music: William Croft (1678-1727)
CONFESSION
God shows his love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Let us then show our love for him by confessing our sins in penitence and faith.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
ABSOLUTION
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECT
God of all mercy,
your Son proclaimed good news to the poor,
release to the captives,
and freedom to the oppressed:
anoint us with your Holy Spirit
and set all your people free
to praise you in Christ our Lord.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h10GlC47Ut8
Shout for joy and sing,
let your praises ring;
see that God is building a kingdom for a King.
His dwelling place with men, the new Jerusalem;
where Jesus is Lord over all.
And we will worship, worship,
we will worship Jesus the Lord
We will worship, worship,
we will worship Jesus the Lord.
2. A work so long concealed,
in time will be revealed,
as the sons of God shall rise and take their stand.
Clothed in His righteousness,
The church made manifest,
Where Jesus is Lord over all
And we will worship, worship,
we will worship Jesus the Lord
We will worship, worship,
we will worship Jesus the Lord.
3. Sovereign over all,
Hail Him risen Lord.
He alone is worthy of our praise.
Reigning in majesty,
ruling in victory,
Jesus is Lord over all.
And we will worship, worship,
we will worship Jesus the Lord
We will worship, worship,
we will worship Jesus the Lord.
Dave Bilbrough © 1983 Thankyou Music
Colossians 1:24-2:5 New International Version - UK
Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
John 14:15-21
‘If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me any more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realise that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.’
This the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
TALK by Eddie Short
As a family we like to travel, to visit new places and experience new things together. We’ve done this since the kids were very little: negotiating trains, planes and automobiles with prams, travel cots and changing bags. But when Ella – our youngest – was able to walk and was well on the way to being potty trained we were ready to step this up a gear. On New Year’s Day a few years ago, we boldly declared the next 12 months to be the ‘Year of Adventure’ for the Short family. We made plans for a couple of big holidays to countries we’d not visited before and lots of other smaller adventures to visit new places and try new things. We were all very excited and expectant about what the coming year had in store. But, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, things didn’t work out as we’d planned. Our ‘Year of Adventure’ was 2020 and from March onwards all our big plans were cancelled. The ‘year of adventure’ became the ‘year of staying at home’.
However, we quickly realised that between work, church, and general busyness, as a family, we were flying through life and not truly appreciating it, and each other. Although we were sad to have to cancel all our adventurous plans, we made a conscious decision to find joy in the situation we were in. To do things at home as a family and spend quality time together without rushing around. And, looking back, I think it was exactly what we needed.
Now I know that for many, the last couple of years have involved much worse than cancelled holiday plans. And I’m not suggesting that God imposed the pandemic on us, for any reason, especially not so that the Shorts would slow down and appreciate each other more. But, for our family, it was an example of what Paul demonstrates in this morning’s reading from Colossians.
I’m not sure if finding himself in prison was a complete surprise for Paul, like the first COVID lockdown was for us. He knew that his uncompromising preaching of the gospel was ruffling feathers, both in the religious community and among the Roman authorities. But I’m sure that being literally locked down in chains is not where he would have chosen to be. Just like we didn’t choose to be locked down at home for most of 2020. But despite this, he is able to write to the Colossians that he rejoices in his suffering. Not only that, instead of wallowing in that suffering, Paul looks for ways to bless, to build up, to teach, to allow God to use him despite his circumstances. And I think there is a challenge for all of us here, regardless of the situations we find ourselves in. Whatever we’re going through – whether we are on the top of one of life’s mountains or deep in the depths of one of its valleys – we can always rejoice in the truth that we are known and loved by God and look for ways of serving Him wherever we are.
As well as spending quality time as a family – and getting lots of much needed jobs done around the house – our family looked for new ways to serve God and share the Gospel during the COVID lockdowns, as I know many people did here at St. Gabriels. For us, that meant becoming the driving force behind the online service team in our home church, which not only kept the regular congregation connected during lockdown, but also reached many people who wouldn’t normally attend church.
One of the ways that Paul served God while in prison was by writing this letter of encouragement to the fledgling church in Colossae which we are in the middle of unpacking together. Having focused the beginning of the letter on exalting Jesus the messiah – who, as Alistair and Sam summarised last week ‘made it all and paid it all’ – in today’s passage Paul went on to explain how he, and they, and we – should respond to what God has done for us through Jesus.
He writes: “for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Not only has Jesus made it all; and paid it all; He lives in us all!
As Jesus himself said in today’s passage from the book of John, the Holy Spirit is with us and comes to reside within those who put their faith in Jesus. God chooses to build his kingdom, to demonstrate His love through us. We aren’t just like the body of Christ, we are the body of Christ. God uses us to be his voice, his ears, and his hands on earth, by the power of the Holy Spirt working in and through us. Which I think is both a challenge and comfort.
The challenge is that the Christian faith is not passive; we are called to go out and to share the gospel with those around us and to demonstrate the love of Jesus in practical ways. Which in this post-modern, post-Christian world, can be quite daunting. However, the comfort is that we don’t need to do it in our own strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
Reflecting on my own Christian journey, I have undoubtedly met with God through reading the bible, through prayer and through worship; and what has sustained my faith is a personal relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit within me. But what lead me to faith in the first place wasn’t reading the bible, or going to church, or listening to sermons but meeting people who were living out their own faith authentically. People who offered encouragement, who modelled Christian discipleship, who loved like Jesus, and who invited me to meet him for myself. And it was really interesting to listen to the stories shared at Thursday’s Alpha course meeting that all had a similar theme. A number of people taking the course, who already know Jesus, shared their story of faith and every one involved another Christian in some way. And, I think, in every case it wasn’t a vicar, church leader, or big stage evangelist that was the key person in the story, but a regular Christian – a friend, a family member, a co-worker – who made the invitation to come and meet Jesus in some way.
In today’s reading Paul also shares his ‘goal’ for the church in Colossae and nearby Laodicea, and I think we are on pretty firm ground if we extend this to refer to all Christians. He says: 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
But what does Paul mean by ‘complete understanding’?
I remember when I was in my early 20s going through a time of wrestling; deconstructing the Christian faith that I had learnt as a child and deciding if I could accept it as truth as an adult. I had invited Jesus into my life as a teenager and experienced the Holy Spirit within me, but had drifted away during university. Back attending church regularly, I was trying to reconcile experience and understanding. Was what I experienced as a teenager real or imagined? I remember thinking that when I knew more, when I learnt more theology, more about God, that I would be in a position to make a true commitment to follow Jesus.
So I read books, listened to sermons, tried to work things out in my head. But I eventually realised that I was going about things in the wrong way. Instead of seeking knowledge of God through learning in the worldly sense, I needed to seek God as He has revealed himself: through the person of Jesus. Not through head knowledge; but through heart knowledge; by focusing on my personal relationship with Jesus. When I did that, I found that the dots of understanding connected much more easily; although I also found – especially when I later came to study theology – that, however much we learn, we are always just scratching the surface when it comes to knowing everything there is to know about God.
Part of the mystery of faith is that we can never know everything about God; yet through the resurrected Jesus at work in our lives we can know, as Paul puts it, “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Understanding about God isn’t reserved for intellectuals and academics, but it can be found by anyone, anywhere, through Jesus. That isn’t to say that we shouldn’t seek to deepen our understanding of God. But the challenge is to keep going deeper into the scriptures, to keep learning more of God, without losing sight of simple faith. Faith based on a personal relationship with Jesus.
Jesus who inspires us to rejoice in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
Jesus who sends us out, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to share the Gospel and love one another.
Jesus who made it all;
Jesus who paid it all;
and Jesus who lives in us all.
AMEN
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 John Gough
Heavenly Father you promised through your son Jesus Christ to hear us when we pray in faith. We bring before you our church and the world, and thank you for your grace and goodness towards us each day.
Lord in praying for our world and the problems faced by so many of your children. We pray for the people of Afghanistan who are suffering greatly. With food shortages and over 2 million children suffering from malnutrition, we pray that the support being provided by the world food program will be successful in meeting the needs of the people, and we also ask that you would soften the hearts of the Taliban regime to turn away from their extreme beliefs that are impacting so greatly on the people.
We pray for the people of Tonga who have been affected by the eruption of the Volcano last Saturday.
Thousands of people are needing outside help, as buildings have been destroyed and damage to an undersea cable has meant that communications have also been disrupted. We praise and thank you for all countries that are helping them and ask that you will stay close to them through their time of difficulty,
Lord in your mercy .........
We pray for our country and government and all in authority that you will grant them wisdom and truthfulness in all of their endeavours.
We are grateful to see that the infection rate has hopefully reached its peak and is beginning to reduce.
Our hope is for a brighter more positive future for us all as advances in treatment and the vaccine program have had a positive impact on dealing with the virus.
Lord we pray for our church, our church family and parish here in Greystones.
We thank you for the Colossians study and sermons and for all the preparation work that is begin done. We ask that you open our hearts and minds to your teaching as we listen and study each week.
Lord in your mercy .........
We pray for all who are taking part and leading the Alpha course. Our hope is that over the coming weeks that hearts and minds will be touched by your grace and love as each study takes place.
We also bring before you all those on our hearts that don't know Jesus yet and we pray for opportunities this week to share something of God's love with them.
Merciful Father............
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=jABSW-UuT1o
My Jesus, my Saviour,
Lord, there is none like you;
all of my days I want to praise
the wonders of your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter,
tower of refuge and strength,
let every breath, all that I am
never cease to worship you.
Shout to the Lord all the earth,
let us sing power and majesty,
praise to the King;
mountains bow down and the seas will roar, at the sound of your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands,
forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand;
nothing compares to the promise I have in you.
(C) 1996 Kingsway 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.
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=BIszhvHjBxQ
Lo! he comes with clouds descending,
once for favoured sinners slain:
thousand thousand saints attending,
swell the triumph of His train;
Hallelujah! hallelujah, hallelujah!
God appears on earth to reign.
2. Every eye shall now behold Him
robed in dreadful majesty;
those who set at nought and sold Him,
pierced, and nailed Him to the tree,
deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing
shall the true Messiah see.
3. Now redemption, long expected,
see in solemn pomp appear!
All His saints, by man rejected,
now shall meet Him in the air.
Hallelujah! hallelujah, hallelujah!
see the day of God appear.
4. Yea, Amen! let all adore Thee
high on Thy eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory,
claim the kingdom of Thine own
Hallelujah! hallelujah, hallelujah!
everlasting God come down!
Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
Music: 18th C English melody
FINAL BLESSING:
May God the Father,
who led the wise men by the shining of a star
to find the Christ, the Light from light,
lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord.
Amen.
May God the Son,
who turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana,
transform your lives and make glad your hearts.
Amen.
May God the Holy Spirit,
who came upon the beloved Son
at his baptism in the river Jordan,
pour out his gifts on you
who have come to the waters of new birth.
Amen.
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.
Amen