Welcome to our service - 27 February
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
World Day of Prayer is on Friday 4th March.
The service for our area will be held at Banner Cross Methodist Church at 11am. Please come along to support the movement and to encourage the participants from our local churches, including St Gabriel’s. Everyone is welcome to join this amazing wave of prayer around the world. Refreshments will be served after the service.
Fairtrade Fortnight
February 21 - March 6
focussing on climate change and the problems this poses for farmers ...
Sunday February 27th - Learn more about Fairtrade in the services and support the Fairtrade stall during coffee time.
We have been designated a 'Fairtrade Church', so let's share this responsibility together.
Please don’t hesitate to ring Alistair (07769 213 581) if you have any questions or would like support.
SERVICE
Opening
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI2rKRCWmOU
At the name of Jesus
every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess Him
King of glory now.
'Tis the Father's pleasure
we should call Him Lord,
who from the beginning
was the mighty Word.
2. Mighty and mysterious
in the highest height,
God from everlasting,
was Light of light.
In the Father's bosom,
with the Spirits blest,
love, in love eternal,
rest, in perfect rest.
3. Humbled for a season,
to receive a name
from the lips of sinners
unto whom he came;
faithfully he bore it
spotless to the last,
brought it back victorious
when from death he passed.
4. Brothers, this Lord Jesus
shall return again,
with his Father’s glory,
with his angel-train;
for all wreaths of empire
meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him
King of Glory now.
Caroline Noel (1817-77)
CONFESSION
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
We have sinned against you
And against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault
We are truly sorry
And report of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
Who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you in the newness of life
to the glory of your name, Amen.
ABSOLUTION
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon us,
pardon and deliver us from all our sins,
confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECT
Holy God,
you know the disorder of our sinful lives:
set straight our crooked hearts,
and bend our wills to love your goodness
and your glory
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSp-3kvKQZs
My soul finds rest in God alone,
My Rock and my salvation;
A fortress strong against my foes,
And I will not be shaken.
Though lips may bless and hearts may curse,
And lies like arrows pierce me,
I'll fix my heart on righteousness,
I'll look to Him who hears me.
O praise Him, hallelujah,
My Delight and my reward;
Everlasting, never failing,
My Redeemer, my God.
2. Find rest, my soul, in God alone
Amid the world's temptations;
When evil seeks to take a hold
I'll cling to my salvation.
Though riches come and riches go,
Don't set your heart upon them;
The fields of hope in which I sow
Are harvested in heaven.
O praise Him…
3. I'll set my gaze on God alone
And trust in Him completely;
With every day pour out my soul
And He will prove His mercy.
Though life is but a fleeting breath,
A sigh too brief to measure,
My King has crushed the curse of death
And I am his forever.
O praise Him…
Oh praise Him, Oh praise Him
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Stuart Townend and Aaron Keyes
©2007 Thankyou Music
READINGS
Colossians 4:2-18 New International Version - UK
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.
My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.
Tell Archippus: ‘See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.’
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Matthew 10:26-33 New International Version - UK
‘So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
‘Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
TALK by Alistair Stevenson
Imagine with me, for a moment St Gabriel’s 10 years in the future. By God’s will we have grown as a church and seen many come to know Jesus. Instead of a bigger church we have become a generous, sending church, revitalising dying churches in neighbouring parts of the city. We decide to send a member of St Gabriel’s to one of the revitalised churches with a message from our church family giving them an update from us to them. I wonder what we would write? What good news would we share about members of the church family continuing to faithfully serve and minister?
Paul is drawing to the end of his letter to this new church plant in Colossae. He has spent the last 3 chapters reminding the church of who Christ is, what he has done and how this should transform every aspect of the life of a believer. No part of human existence, Paul says, should remain untouched by the loving and liberating rule of Jesus. In his final few paragraphs, having given a picture of what the family of believers should look like, he then expresses this in words of love and affirmation for his sisters and brothers in Christ. Listen again his heart for these people:
· Tychicus - dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow-servant
· Onesimus - our faithful and dear brother
· Epaphras - who is always wrestling in prayer and working hard.
· Our dear friend Luke
He celebrates and gives thanks for women and men who share in the ministry of the gospel.
Despite the fact that Paul was separated by hundreds of miles from this church and from many of those he mentions in this letter - it is clear that he loves them and that they are a family which has Christ’s love at the centre.
Would we use similar language of ourselves, imagining if we were writing a similar letter? Would we write with such love and affection for our sisters and brothers here at St Gabriel’s?
Moreover, how do we become a church that sends people to revitalise dying churches? How do we become a church that grows and sends, grows and sends? Disciples making disciples.
In verses 2 - 6, Paul gives a pretty good summary of how you grow the church - or more specifically, how you share the love of Christ. Let’s look at it together. You may want to have the passage open in front of you.
1. Prayer. It all starts with prayer. In fact, it ends with prayer and prayer is in the middle. The ultimate prayer sandwich. Prayer is about tuning into the heartbeat of God and asking him to transform the desires of our hearts. That our hearts desires and passion would become his heart and passion. It is being watchful - staying alert - literally staying awake. We pray with spiritual eyes open - alert and watchful to what God is doing and then we’re ready to get involved. It’s like being on call for Jesus - ready and waiting for the pager to go off, to get the call or message and be ready and able to go to those in need. Spiritual lives are at stake here - so we must remain watchful and alert.
2. On the back this, Paul tells us that it is God who opens the doors. He opens the doors into people's hearts and lives to hear the message. That is why prayer and mission go hand in hand. God opens the doors so that the mystery of Christ may be proclaimed.
3. Thirdly, therefore, we proclaim the mystery of Christ. What does Paul mean here by mystery? A quick bit of Bible study. Paul uses this phrase ‘mystery of Christ’ a number of times in his letters. More often than not he is specifically referring to the inclusion of the Gentiles in God’s salvation plan. It is a mystery because it was, before Jesus, not made known to God’s people. In the New Testament, a "mystery" is not something unknowable. Rather, it is what can only be known through revelation, i.e., because God reveals it. Here Paul is not suggesting that Christ is, in some way mysteriously unknowable. That might in some sense be the case, but it’s not what Paul is saying here. If it was, Paul wouldn’t be able to proclaim it clearly, as he suggests in verse 4. The mystery that has now been revealed through Christ is that God’s salvation is for everyone. This should be particularly poignant to us today, because most of us are Gentile Christians. We literally wouldn't be here if the mystery of Christ hadn’t been made known and then proclaimed by Paul and the other apostles.
4. Fourthly, we hope and pray that we might proclaim it clearly. Again, the Greek word here gives the sense of making something manifest, or something being revealed, appearing and being shown. When we proclaim Christ, we bring forth and make manifest Christ - Christ is revealed and made known. All the more reason for why Paul asks for prayer. Over the last few months Catherine has twice been invited on BBC radio Sheffield to share firstly about Bless Greystones and then more generally about her faith and calling. Talking on radio or TV or in fact just in public can be a nerve-racking experience. And before each interview Catherine and I prayed that she would speak clearly. It’s a similar prayer that we must all pray as we share the love of Jesus with others.
5. Fifth, we must be wise in the way we act - literally in the way that we walk. We must walk the talk. We must be wise as we do life with those who don’t yet know Jesus - making the most of every opportunity. Our lives should speak the message. They should look different, distinctive. Just take a moment to think about your neighbours their habits and actions. Does your life look significantly different? The way that you spend your money, your relationships, how you spend your time, what you watch on TV - is it different to those around you who don't know Jesus?
6. Finally, when we use words they must be full of grace - words of love, compassion, mercy and blessing. Grace is the opposite of judgement. Our words to those who don’t yet know Jesus must never judge or condemn but be seasoned with grace and mercy. Just as salt brings out the good flavours of a meal, our words should bring out the good, tasty flavours of the gospel. This is necessary to be able to answer everyone. As Eugene Peterson translates in The Message: ‘The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.’
So how do we share Christ - how do we evangelise to others. Here is Paul’s summary:
Pray, pray and pray some more. Pray for open doors and open hearts - remembering that it’s only God’s Spirit who can do this. When a door is open, take the opportunity to share Christ and do it clearly as you can, in wisdom and with words of grace, love and mercy so that you can speak into the heart and life of the person in front of you. And live the message that you speak - a radically, distinctive life that demonstrates the transformation of Jesus in your life.
Now all we need to do is go and do it!
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 Jo Chamberlain
PRAYERS - written by Jo Chamberlain
I’ve got some pictures to help us pray. They are Fairtrade products to take us through the day, so I hope they’ll prompt you to pray on other days. I’ll explain I want the picture to represent, and then I’ll leave space for you to pray.
Tea and Coffee – I need my coffee to wake up first thing in the morning. Pray for our world leaders to wake up and take responsibility, to cut emissions and be generous in finding money for climate finance. Pray for the Fairtrade Foundation as it campaigns on this.
Bananas – good for energy in your lunch. Pray for small scale farmers who may be weary as life gets harder because of climate change, and the work the Fairtrade Foundation does to support them.
Chocolate – an extra treat in your day. Give thanks for all the extra things the Fairtrade premium pays for: schools and child care, safer working conditions, credit unions, social and community spaces. Pray for all those who benefit from these things.
A glass of something – when you stop at the end of the day. Pause and reflect now on what your response might be.
A Prayer for the Crisis in Ukraine by Pete Greig
Father God, King of all nations, we cry out to you now for the people of Ukraine. We ask you to rescue those who are vulnerable from the hands of their enemies that they may live without fear before you all their days [Luke 1:74-75].
Kyrie eleison - Lord have mercy.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Lord of lords and Prince of peace, our politicians are predicting the biggest war in Europe since 1945, and we simply cry out to you urgently to write another story in our time. Thwart the dark machinations of evil men. Give wisdom beyond human wisdom to peacemakers seeking an equitable and less violent way. May politicians exercise the wisdom from above, which is peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, and full of mercy [James 3:17].
Kyrie eleison - Lord have mercy.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Holy Spirit, we pray for the church in Ukraine, a nation in which 70% of the population call themselves Christian. Give our many brothers and sisters in that nation courage in this crisis that they may proclaim the good news of your kingdom, bind up broken hearts, and bring comfort to all who mourn. [Isaiah 61:1-2].
Kyrie eleison - Lord have mercy.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
You Lord, make wars cease to the end of the earth; you break bows, shatter spears, and burn shields with fire [Psalm 46:9]. And so we ask you now to save the lives of many people in Ukraine. Make a peace that is strong and not weak. De-escalate this crisis. We hear of wars and rumours of wars [Matt. 24:6],
but you Lord are our rock, our fortress and our deliverer. Our hope is in you. And so we address the nations now. In the name of Jesus we say: “Be still and know God! He is exalted among the nations; he shall be exalted in the earth [Psalm 46:10].
Kyrie eleison - Lord have mercy.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace. 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=2abNVp9zpik
LIGHT OF GOD, come dwell within Your people,
As intended from the dawn of time.
Make Your goodness, echoed through creation,
Our desire, Joy of the Divine.
Holy Spirit, break through our darkness;
Holy Spirit, breathe through our lives.
Light of God, come, radiant and glorious;
Perfect wisdom in this world today.
Light of God, come to Your fallen people,
As we follow in the steps of Christ.
May Your fragrance beautify Your people,
As we mirror our Creator’s light.
Holy Spirit….
Light of God, come claim Christ’s stolen glory,
Burn the shadows with the flame of truth.
May Your church rise, stars within the darkness,
Giving glory to the Lord of light.
Holy Spirit….
Light divine, come, Father of all beauty;
Son of goodness, Spirit of all truth.
Move us, use us, people of Your vision,
As we wait for our returning King.
Holy Spirit….
Keith & Kristyn Getty
Copyright © 2005 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=g3K28WUSTKc
I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvellous! How wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvellous! How wonderful
is my Saviour's love for me!
2. For me it was in the garden He prayed,
‘Not My will, but Thine’:
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.
How marvellous…
3. He took my sins and my sorrows,
he made them his very own;
he bore the burden to Calvary,
and suffered and died alone.
How marvellous…
4. When with the ransomed in glory
his face I at last shall see,
'twill be my joy through the ages
to sing of his love for me.
How marvellous…
© Charles H. Gabriel (1856–1932)
FINAL BLESSING:
The love of the Lord Jesus draw you to himself,
the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen you in his service,
the joy of the Lord Jesus fill your hearts;
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen